MBSS Site Summary for: PAXL-107-R-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PAXL-107-R-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PAXL-107-R-2008-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT SUMMERVILLE CREEK in the Patuxent River lower watershed, 8-digit code: 02131101.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/4/2008 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 - 1.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.9 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 438 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 27.6 %
Forested Land Use 72.4 %


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 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 61 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 45 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 95 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 95%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.74
Conductivity 109 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		223.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.3106 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
Brown Bullhead 42
Eastern Mudminnow 7
Bluegill 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Gartersnake
Eastern Ratsnake
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 31
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 30
Stegopterna Black Fly 25
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 10
Prosimulium Black Fly 9
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 4
Caecidotea Isopod 3
Tabanidae Horse Fly 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Synurella Amphipod 1
Heterotrissocladius European Non-Biting Midge 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Capniidae Small Winter Stonefly 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.