MBSS Site Summary for: PAXL-110-R-2004

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PAXL-110-R-2004-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PAXL-110-R-2004-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on PATUXENT R UT 13 in the Patuxent River lower watershed, 8-digit code: 02131101.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/4/2004 and again in the summer on 7/12/2004.

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 - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 120 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 10 %
Agricultural Land Use 12 %
Forested Land Use 79 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat

Instream Habitat 6/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 13 meters
4/20 (Poor)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 62 meters
10/20 (Marginal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 20 %


Stream Water Quality:

Water temperature 21.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 5.73
Conductivity 34 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
18.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.2 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 2 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Least Brook Lamprey 2
Blacknose Dace 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

Eastern Box Turtle
Eastern Fence Lizard
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:

No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:

Japanese Honeysuckle
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 98
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 17
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 12
Synurella Amphipod 12
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Lumbriculidae Worm 6
Ceratopogon Biting Midge 4
Heterotrissocladius European Non-Biting Midge 4
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 4
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 3
Tipula Crane Fly 3
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 3
Stegopterna Black Fly 3
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 3
Parachaetocladius Non-Biting Midge 3
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 2
Tipulidae Cranefly 2
Caecidotea Isopod 2
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 2
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Simuliidae Black Fly 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Chironominae Non-Biting Midge 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.