MBSS Site Summary for: PAXM-220-X-2006


Located on Mataponi Creek in the Patuxent River middle watershed, 8-digit code: 02131102.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/22/2006 and again in the summer on 7/31/2006.

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 Fair - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 10,756 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 5 %
Agricultural Land Use 38 %
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 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 5 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.05
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		280.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.701 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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 26
Bluegill 10
Eastern Mosquitofish 5
Golden Shiner 4
American Eel 3
Eastern Mudminnow 3
Creek Chubsucker 2
Fallfish 2
Least Brook Lamprey 2
Pumpkinseed 2
Redfin Pickerel 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 38
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 30
Hydrobaenus Midge 6
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 4
Bezzia Biting Midge 4
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 4
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 4
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 3
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 3
Siphlonurus Gray Drake Mayfly 3
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 2
Gyrinus Whirlygig Beetle 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Gomphus Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Tipulidae Cranefly 1
Chrysops Deerfly 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.