MBSS Site Summary for: CN-N-024-113-96


Located on SKELETON CR in the Upper Choptank watershed, 8-digit code: 02130404.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/13/1996 and again in the summer on 9/4/1996.

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 Poor - 2.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.9 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 536 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 34.1 %
Forested Land Use 61 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 4/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality 2/20 (Poor)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 85 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 85%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 5.95
Conductivity 173 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		100.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 15.9 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
Eastern Mudminnow 51
Pirate Perch 34
American Eel 10
Redfin Pickerel 7
Pumpkinseed 5
Creek Chubsucker 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Northern Watersnake
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Procambarus acutus acutus

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 25
Prosimulium Black Fly 24
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 19
Stegopterna Black Fly 16
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 6
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 5
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Viviparus 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 1
Caenis Mayfly 1
Clinotanypus Non-Biting Midge 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Dicrotendipes 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.