MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-508-X-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-508-X-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-508-X-2011-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on PATAPSCO RIVER in the Patapsco River L N Br watershed, 8-digit code: 02130906.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/29/2011 and again in the summer on 7/12/2011.

Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) Results:

An Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) is a scientific tool used to identify and classify stream health. An IBI associates anthropogenic influences on a stream or with biological condition in the stream, and is formulated using data developed from biosurveys.
Details on the development and application of MBSS IBIs are in this document.
Fish IBI Good - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 185,413 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 7 %
Agricultural Land Use 60 %
Forested Land Use 30.5 %


Stream showing woody debris, logs, and rocky substrate.
An example of woody debris in a stream.

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 31 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 75 meters 		19/20 (Optimal)
Shading 15 %
Embeddedness 35 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.8
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		816.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.5586 mg/L

Biological Stream Condition:

Surveys of the organisms living within a stream can give indications of stream health. Species richness, or the number of different species present, as well as indicator species (species whose presence, absence or abundance can serve as a measure of environmental conditions) are informative for stream health. 		Close-up of a mayfly indicator species.

Fish Survey Results:
The following 21 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
River Chub 150
American Eel 79
Northern Hogsucker 59
Redbreast Sunfish 38
Smallmouth Bass 32
Common Shiner 26
Longnose Dace 26
Rosyface Shiner 22
Margined Madtom 16
Rock Bass 12
Spotfin Shiner 11
Blue Ridge Sculpin 8
Central Stoneroller 7
Satinfin Shiner 6
Creek Chub 5
White Sucker 5
Cutlip Minnow 4
Tessellated Darter 4
Spottail Shiner 2
Fallfish 1
Rainbow Trout 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Water Snake

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Hops
Japanese Stiltgrass
Oriental Bittersweet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 51
Orthocladiinae Midge 13
Gammarus Amphipod 6
Hydrobaenus Midge 5
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 5
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 5
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 1
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 1
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Stagnicola Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Leptoxis Freshwater Snail 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Kick net sampling for macroinvertebrates.
Sampling with a kick net.

Information disclaimer: The information and data on this page is for guidance and general planning purposes only. It should not be used to make decisions on specific matters.