MBSS Site Summary for: PAXM-106-X-2006


Located on Pindell Branch in the Patuxent River middle watershed, 8-digit code: 02131102.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/20/2006 and again in the summer on 6/16/2006.

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 - 1.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 123 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 46 %
Forested Land Use 54 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 4/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 6/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 4/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 59 meters 		3/20 (Poor)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 16 meters 		2/20 (Poor)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 80 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 80%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Poor' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 15.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.84
Conductivity 149 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		166.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.7025 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 1 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 98
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Haploperla Green Stonefly 12
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 12
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 12
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 10
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 7
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 7
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 6
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 3
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 3
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Eurylophella Mayfly 3
Hydrobaenus Midge 3
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 3
Ceratopogon Biting Midge 3
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Phylocentropus Caddisfly 1
Anchytarsus Beetle 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 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.