MBSS Site Summary for: PAXM-102-R-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PAXM-102-R-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PAXM-102-R-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Wyvil Branch in the Patuxent River middle watershed, 8-digit code: 02131102.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/30/2009 and again in the summer on 6/15/2009.

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 Fair - 3.9 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 193 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 12.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 23.4 %
Forested Land Use 62.8 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 3/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 2/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 72 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 4 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 15 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 5.91
Conductivity 132 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		82.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.0417 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 4 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 15
Creek Chubsucker 14
Eastern Mudminnow 12
Green Sunfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Mole Kingsnake
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Southern Leopard Frog
Upland Chorus Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes

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

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Stegopterna Black Fly 22
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 13
Synurella Amphipod 12
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 12
Siphlonurus Gray Drake Mayfly 11
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 9
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 8
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 7
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 7
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 6
Simuliidae Black Fly 5
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Heterotrissocladius European Non-Biting Midge 4
Isotomurus Elongate-Bodied Springtail 3
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 2
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 2
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 1
Wormaldia Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Corixidae Water Boatman 1
Dytiscidae Predaceous Diving Beetle 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.