MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-510-X-2013

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-510-X-2013-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-510-X-2013-2 (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 3/5/2013 and again in the summer on 8/20/2013.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 177,785 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 16.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 41.8 %
Forested Land Use 37.7 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 70 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 26 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 20 %


Stream Water Quality:
No water quality measurements available for this site.

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 26 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
River Chub 186
Spottail Shiner 140
Spotfin Shiner 129
Redbreast Sunfish 127
Swallowtail Shiner 103
Bluntnose Minnow 76
Common Shiner 56
American Eel 55
Tessellated Darter 49
Rosyface Shiner 44
Blue Ridge Sculpin 43
Central Stoneroller 43
Longnose Dace 41
Northern Hogsucker 36
Smallmouth Bass 28
Satinfin Shiner 27
Margined Madtom 25
Cutlip Minnow 16
Rock Bass 10
White Sucker 9
Banded Killifish 5
Bluegill 5
Yellow Bullhead 3
Green Sunfish 2
Creek Chub 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Water Snake

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Gammarus Amphipod 24
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 17
Leptoxis Freshwater Snail 14
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 10
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 7
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 6
Hydrobaenus Midge 6
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 6
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Stenelmis Beetle 3
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 3
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 3
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 2
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 2
Microcylloepus Riffle Beetle 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Promoresia Riffle Beetle 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 1
NEMOURIDAE Nemourid Stonefly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
Psephenus Water Penny 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.