MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-511-X-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-511-X-2015_P-looking-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-511-X-2015_P-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 4/6/2015 and again in the summer on 8/12/2015.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 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 18.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 41.2 %
Forested Land Use 36.4 %


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 18/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 55 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 52 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 25 %
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 23 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 98
Cutlip Minnow 96
Spotfin Shiner 94
Redbreast Sunfish 90
Blue Ridge Sculpin 81
American Eel 77
River Chub 42
Bluntnose Minnow 35
Common Shiner 16
Northern Hogsucker 15
Bluegill 13
Margined Madtom 13
Spottail Shiner 13
Longnose Dace 12
Smallmouth Bass 12
Satinfin Shiner 11
White Sucker 10
Swallowtail Shiner 6
Central Stoneroller 5
Rock Bass 4
Green Sunfish 3
Largemouth Bass 3
Blacknose Dace 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Spotted Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Wavyleaf Basketgrass
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 14
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 13
Leptoxis Freshwater Snail 12
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 10
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 8
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 8
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 7
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 5
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 5
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 4
Antocha Crane Fly 3
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 3
Gammarus Amphipod 3
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 3
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 3
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 3
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 2
Neureclipsis 2
Neophylax Caddisfly 2
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Mystacides 1
Synorthocladius 1
Corbicula Basket Clam 1
Tanytarsini 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.