MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-510-X-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-510-X-2015_midpoint-looking-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-510-X-2015_midpoint-looking-upstream (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 4/1/2015 and again in the summer on 8/11/2015.

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 18.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 40.2 %
Forested Land Use 37.2 %


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 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 20 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 55 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 15 %
Embeddedness 25 %


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 23 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
River Chub 168
Spottail Shiner 153
Bluntnose Minnow 128
Spotfin Shiner 70
Tessellated Darter 61
Blue Ridge Sculpin 58
Redbreast Sunfish 51
Satinfin Shiner 50
American Eel 47
White Sucker 46
Rosyface Shiner 38
Swallowtail Shiner 32
Northern Hogsucker 31
Common Shiner 29
Central Stoneroller 22
Smallmouth Bass 22
Cutlip Minnow 21
Margined Madtom 15
Rock Bass 10
Longnose Dace 6
Yellow Bullhead 4
Largemouth Bass 2
Bluegill 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Queen Snake

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Privet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Gammarus Amphipod 17
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 17
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 15
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 13
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 10
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Glossosomatidae Saddlecase Maker Caddisfly 4
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 3
Antocha Crane Fly 3
Leptoxis Freshwater Snail 3
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Hydrobaenus Midge 2
Psychomyia Trumpet-Net Caddisfly 2
Ferrissia Small Air-Breathing Freshwater Limpets 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Diamesinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Corbicula Basket Clam 1
Anchytarsus Beetle 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Simulium Black Fly 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.