MBSS Site Summary for: PAXL-294-S-2004

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PAXL-294-S-2004-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PAXL-294-S-2004-2 (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 4/15/2004 and again in the summer on 7/26/2004.

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 - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 5.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 3,717 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 3.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 30.9 %
Forested Land Use 62.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 30 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 50 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.69
Conductivity 100 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		132 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.8 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 12 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 93
Eastern Mudminnow 29
Tessellated Darter 16
Pumpkinseed 7
Least Brook Lamprey 6
Creek Chubsucker 4
American Eel 3
Tadpole Madtom 2
Bluegill 1
Fallfish 1
Redbreast Sunfish 1
Rosyside Dace 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Northern Watersnake
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 17
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 15
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 13
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 11
Neophylax Caddisfly 8
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 5
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
Perlidae Common Stonefly 4
Hexatoma Crane Fly 3
Diamesa Bloodworm 3
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 3
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 3
Eccoptura Yellow Stone Stonefly 3
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 2
Gammarus Amphipod 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 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.