MBSS Site Summary for: PAXM-201-X-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PAXM-201-X-2014-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PAXM-201-X-2014-MidpointUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on WILSON OWENS BRANCH in the Patuxent River middle watershed, 8-digit code: 02131102.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/21/2014 and again in the summer on 6/28/2014.

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 Good - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 183 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 0 %
Forested Land Use 42.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 53 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 25 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Shading 45 %
Embeddedness 95 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 95%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.09
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		203.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.5605 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 17 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 250
Eastern Mudminnow 167
Sea Lamprey 88
American Eel 74
Least Brook Lamprey 73
Green Sunfish 10
Redfin Pickerel 9
Creek Chub 7
Blacknose Dace 4
Eastern Mosquitofish 4
Banded Killifish 2
Golden Shiner 2
Brown Bullhead 1
Chain Pickerel 1
Creek Chubsucker 1
Tadpole Madtom 1
White Sucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Common Five-Lined Skink
Eastern Cricket Frog
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Northern Water Snake

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Gammarus Amphipod 19
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 17
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 14
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 12
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 6
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 5
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
Simulium Black Fly 4
Hexatoma Crane Fly 3
Caecidotea Isopod 3
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 3
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 2
Cladotanytarsus Non-Biting Midge 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Erioptera Cranefly 1
Tipulidae Cranefly 1
Synurella Amphipod 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 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.