MBSS Site Summary for: PAXL-102-R-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PAXL-102-R-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PAXL-102-R-2008-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT COCKTOWN CREEK in the Patuxent River lower watershed, 8-digit code: 02131101.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/3/2008 and again in the summer on 6/2/2008.

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 Poor - 1.3 / 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 92 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 12.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 27.8 %
Forested Land Use 59.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 7/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 47 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 35 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 80 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 80%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 15.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 10.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.34
Conductivity 196 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1389.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.3148 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 3 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 30
Eastern Mudminnow 21
Pumpkinseed 10
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 42
Gammarus Amphipod 15
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 8
Siphlonurus Gray Drake Mayfly 6
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 5
Capniidae Small Winter Stonefly 5
Tabanidae Horse Fly 4
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 3
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 3
Ptilostomis Giant Casemaker Caddisfly 2
Stagnicola Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Heterotrissocladius European Non-Biting Midge 1
Parachaetocladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Lymnaeidae Pond Snail 1
Isotomidae Springtail 1
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia 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.