MBSS Site Summary for: PAXL-294-S-2000

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PAXL-294-S-2000-01 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PAXL-294-S-2000-02 (Opens in a new window)

Located on SWANSON CR in the Patuxent River lower watershed, 8-digit code: 02131101.
This stream was visited in the spring on 5/1/2000 and again in the summer on 6/21/2000.

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 Good - 4.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 3,719 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 5.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 25 %
Forested Land Use 69.7 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 40 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 35 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 35 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.7
Conductivity 80 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		153 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.1 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Rosyside Dace 40
Eastern Mudminnow 21
Blacknose Dace 16
American Eel 5
Fallfish 3
Pumpkinseed 3
Creek Chubsucker 2
Bluegill 1
Tessellated Darter 1
White Sucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Acentrella Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 61
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 36
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 13
Simulium Black Fly 5
Crangonyctidae Scud 5
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 4
Caecidotea Isopod 4
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Perlidae Common Stonefly 2
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Perlesta 1
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Anchytarsus Beetle 1
Helichus Beetle 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Cordulegaster Spiketail Dragonfly 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Isoperla Stripetail 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.