MBSS Site Summary for: CN-N-005-103-97


Located on CHOPTANK R UT2 in the Upper Choptank watershed, 8-digit code: 02130404.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/17/1997 and again in the summer on 6/4/1997.

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 Poor - 2.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 2,814 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 9.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 59.8 %
Forested Land Use 30.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 60 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 60%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 14.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.7
Conductivity 153 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		188.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.1 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
American Eel 62
Tessellated Darter 31
Eastern Mudminnow 23
Pirate Perch 8
Bluegill 7
Golden Shiner 4
Chain Pickerel 2
Pumpkinseed 2
Creek Chubsucker 1
Least Brook Lamprey 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel 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
Prosimulium Black Fly 19
Simulium Black Fly 16
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 14
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 12
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 11
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 10
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 7
Stegopterna Black Fly 6
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 3
Diamesa Bloodworm 2
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 2
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Pseudosuccinea Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheocricotopus 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.