MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-516-X-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-516-X-2017-MidpointFacingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-516-X-2017-MidpointFacingUpstream (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 3/2/2017 and again in the summer on 6/27/2017.

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 - 2.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 194,092 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 21.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 37.3 %
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 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 18/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 34 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 41 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 67 %
Embeddedness 50 %
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 29 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Swallowtail Shiner 258
American Eel 190
Spottail Shiner 141
River Chub 87
Redbreast Sunfish 59
Central Stoneroller 46
Northern Hogsucker 43
Cutlip Minnow 38
Longnose Dace 29
White Sucker 20
Bluegill 18
Common Shiner 18
Margined Madtom 17
Smallmouth Bass 16
Bluntnose Minnow 15
Tessellated Darter 12
Blacknose Dace 10
Rock Bass 9
White Perch 8
Green Sunfish 5
Striped Bass 5
Rosyface Shiner 4
Sea Lamprey 4
Banded Killifish 3
Blue Ridge Sculpin 3
Shield Darter 2
Yellow Bullhead 2
Satinfin Shiner
Spotfin Shiner
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Water Snake

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Daylily(Common)
English Ivy
Japanese Knotweed
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Norway Maple
Oriental Bittersweet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 33
CRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 19
CHIMARRA Fingernet Caddisfly 11
HYDROPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 7
TVETENIA Non-Biting Midges 7
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 5
STROPHOPTERYX Early Brown Stonefly 4
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 4
THIENEMANNIELLA Non-Biting Midges 4
GAMMARUS Amphipod 3
DIAMESINAE Non-Biting Midges 2
EUKIEFFERIELLA Non-Biting Midges 1
MICROTENDIPES Non-Biting Midges 1
CORYNONEURA Non-Biting Midges 1
TELOGANOPSIS Mayfly 1
CORBICULA Basket Clam 1
SIMULIUM Black Fly 1
DIAMESA Bloodworm 1
ANTOCHA Crane Fly 1
MICROCYLLOEPUS Riffle Beetle 1
OULIMNIUS Riffle Beetle 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.