MBSS Site Summary for: PAXM-119-R-2001

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PAXM-119-R-2001-109 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PAXM-119-R-2001-110 (Opens in a new window)

Located on PATUXENT R UT8 in the Patuxent River middle watershed, 8-digit code: 02131102.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/15/2001 and again in the summer on 7/23/2001.

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 - 1.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 139 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 22 %
Agricultural Land Use 68 %
Forested Land Use 10 %


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 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 66 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 9 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 90 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 90%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.38
Conductivity 230 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		91.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.2 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 3 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 4
Green Sunfish 4
American Eel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
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
Synurella Amphipod 39
Caecidotea Isopod 11
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 7
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 6
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Limnodrilus Worm 5
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 4
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Tipula Crane Fly 3
Calopteryx Damselfly 2
Stegopterna Black Fly 2
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 2
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 2
Hydroporus Water Beetle 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 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.