MBSS Site Summary for: CN-N-049-116-97


Located on ROBBINS BR in the Upper Choptank watershed, 8-digit code: 02130404.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/21/1997 and again in the summer on 8/12/1997.

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 Good - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.4 / 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 2,771 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 0.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 56.6 %
Forested Land Use 42.4 %


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 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 0/20 (Poor)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 60 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 60%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 28.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 4 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (4 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 6.49
Conductivity 73 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		154.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 7.7 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 15 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Creek Chubsucker 97
Bluegill 47
Pirate Perch 41
Pumpkinseed 35
Redbreast Sunfish 25
American Eel 22
Golden Shiner 22
Chain Pickerel 15
Redfin Pickerel 9
Eastern Mudminnow 6
Brown Bullhead 4
Tadpole Madtom 1
Tessellated Darter 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Yellow Perch 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
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
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 11
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 10
Prosimulium Black Fly 9
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 8
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 6
Amphipoda Scud 5
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 5
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 3
Gammarus Amphipod 3
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 3
Simulium Black Fly 3
Neophylax Caddisfly 2
Oligochaeta Aquatic Worm 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Hagenius Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Wormaldia Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Corynoneura 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.