MBSS Site Summary for: PAXM-115-R-2001

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PAXM-115-R-2001-138 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PAXM-115-R-2001-139 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PAXM-115-R-2001-140 (Opens in a new window)

Located on FERRY BR in the Patuxent River middle watershed, 8-digit code: 02131102.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/27/2001 and again in the summer on 7/26/2001.

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 - 2.3 / 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 866 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 3 %
Agricultural Land Use 71 %
Forested Land Use 25 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 9/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 67 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 8 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Shading 89 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 22.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.65
Conductivity 160 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		185.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.4 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 6 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 54
Tessellated Darter 8
Eastern Mudminnow 7
White Sucker 7
American Eel 2
Rosyside Dace 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern American Toad
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 18
Stegopterna Black Fly 16
Gammarus Amphipod 15
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 12
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 8
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 8
Neophylax Caddisfly 5
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 3
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 3
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Stygobromus Amphipod 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Tipulidae Cranefly 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 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.