MBSS Site Summary for: CH-S-234-315-95


Located on ZEKIAH SWAMP RUN in the Zekiah Swamp watershed, 8-digit code: 02140108.
This stream was visited in the spring on 2/27/1995 and again in the summer on 7/3/1995.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 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 7,703 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 4.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 17.2 %
Forested Land Use 74.8 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 20 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9 mg/L
pH (lab) 5.93
Conductivity 73 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		28.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4 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 13 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Rosyside Dace 31
Eastern Mudminnow 11
Redfin Pickerel 10
Tessellated Darter 10
American Eel 9
Margined Madtom 8
Bluegill 4
Least Brook Lamprey 4
Pirate Perch 4
Fallfish 3
Green Sunfish 3
Pumpkinseed 1
Tadpole Madtom 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog
Stinkpot

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 30
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 16
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 10
Psephenus Water Penny 8
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 8
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Anchytarsus Beetle 4
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 2
Eurylophella Mayfly 2
Psilotreta Mortarjoint Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Allocapnia Small Winter Stonefly 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydatophylax Northern Caddisfly 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 1
Tabanus Biting Horsefly 1
Gomphidae Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Heleniella European Non-Biting Midge 1
Sphaerium Fingernail Clam 1
Stenonema Flatheaded 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.