MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-511-X-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-511-X-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-511-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 7/13/2011.

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 Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 166,096 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 5.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 62.3 %
Forested Land Use 29.4 %


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 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 71 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 42 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 55 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.815
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		710.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.4833 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
Redbreast Sunfish 151
American Eel 83
Blue Ridge Sculpin 77
Cutlip Minnow 68
Spotfin Shiner 67
Swallowtail Shiner 39
Rock Bass 35
Smallmouth Bass 29
Northern Hogsucker 26
Bluntnose Minnow 18
Tessellated Darter 15
Margined Madtom 13
River Chub 11
Longnose Dace 9
Satinfin Shiner 5
White Sucker 4
Green Sunfish 3
Bluegill 1
Central Stoneroller 1
Rosyface Shiner 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Ratsnake
Gray Treefrog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Vinca Vine
Wavyleaf Basketgrass
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 33
Prosimulium Black Fly 13
Orthocladiinae Midge 10
EPHEMERELLIDAE Spiny Crawler Mayfly 10
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 9
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 7
Gammarus Amphipod 6
PERLIDAE Common Stonefly 4
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 4
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 3
Neophylax Caddisfly 3
Diamesa Bloodworm 3
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 3
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 3
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 3
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 2
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 2
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 1
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 1
ENCHYTRAEIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 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.