MBSS Site Summary for: PAXM-202-X-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PAXM-202-X-2014-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PAXM-202-X-2014-MidpointUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on SWAN POINT CREEK 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 8/11/2014.

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 Poor - 1.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,039 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 11.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 22.4 %
Forested Land Use 63.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 5/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 6/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 4/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 68 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 8 meters 		4/20 (Poor)
Shading 25 %
Embeddedness 95 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 95%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Poor' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.81
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		202.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.4299 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 2 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 65
Eastern Mudminnow 25
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Cricket Frog
Northern Brown Snake
Northern Copperhead
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Maidengrass
Tree Of Heaven
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 67
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 10
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 7
Gammarus Amphipod 4
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 3
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 3
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 3
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Pseudorthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 1
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 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.