MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-511-X-2013

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-511-X-2013-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-511-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 8/12/2013.

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 Good - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 166,012 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 16.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 42.9 %
Forested Land Use 36.8 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 64 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 56 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Shading 55 %
Embeddedness 45 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


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 22 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Redbreast Sunfish 191
American Eel 135
Blue Ridge Sculpin 123
Smallmouth Bass 63
Cutlip Minnow 48
Rock Bass 37
Bluegill 23
River Chub 20
Tessellated Darter 20
Green Sunfish 18
Northern Hogsucker 14
Central Stoneroller 13
Margined Madtom 13
White Sucker 8
Longnose Dace 7
Creek Chub 6
Bluntnose Minnow 2
Pumpkinseed 2
Yellow Bullhead 2
Blacknose Dace 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Swallowtail Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Water Snake

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Stiltgrass
Oriental Bittersweet
Wavyleaf Basketgrass
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 17
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 15
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 13
EPHEMERELLIDAE Spiny Crawler Mayfly 12
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 12
Prosimulium Black Fly 4
Leptoxis Freshwater Snail 4
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 3
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 3
Simulium Black Fly 2
Diamesa Bloodworm 2
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Perlesta 2
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 2
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Pteronarcys Giant Stonefly 1
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 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.