MBSS Site Summary for: CH-S-225-324-95


Located on ZEKIAH SWAMP RUN in the Zekiah Swamp watershed, 8-digit code: 02140108.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/13/1995 and again in the summer on 8/16/1995.

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 - 4.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 12,101 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 4 %
Agricultural Land Use 22.1 %
Forested Land Use 69.8 %


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 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 99 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 99%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 22.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 5.93
Conductivity 70 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		37.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 53
Eastern Mudminnow 49
Rosyside Dace 35
Fallfish 27
Redfin Pickerel 18
Margined Madtom 14
Pirate Perch 12
American Eel 11
Bluegill 1
Creek Chubsucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Stegopterna Black Fly 33
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 15
Prosimulium Black Fly 7
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 7
Crangonyx Amphipod 6
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 6
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 5
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 4
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Triaenodes Long-Horned Caddisfly 3
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 2
Hydroptila Microcaddisfly 2
Thienemannimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Hyalella Amphipod 1
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Sialis Alderfly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 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.