MBSS Site Summary for: SM-S-090-238-97


Located on KILLPECK CR in the Patuxent River lower watershed, 8-digit code: 02131101.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/24/1997 and again in the summer on 6/5/1997.

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 - 3.7 / 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 423 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 29.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 25.1 %
Forested Land Use 45.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 15 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 12.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 10 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.08
Conductivity 200 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		275.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.6 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
Rosyside Dace 101
Blacknose Dace 78
Fallfish 23
Least Brook Lamprey 9
American Eel 3
Eastern Mudminnow 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Box Turtle
Eastern Ratsnake
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Haploperla Green Stonefly 21
Crangonyx Amphipod 17
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 16
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 6
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 6
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 4
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Gammarus Amphipod 3
Neophylax Caddisfly 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 2
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Tabanus Biting Horsefly 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Caecidotea Isopod 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.