MBSS Site Summary for: LOCK-102-R-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCK-102-R-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCK-102-R-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Tanyard Branch in the Lower Choptank watershed, 8-digit code: 02130403.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/18/2009 and again in the summer on 6/15/2009.

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 - 1.7 / 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 137 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 28.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 41 %
Forested Land Use 30.1 %


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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 64 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 11 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 50 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 24 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 5.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.98
Conductivity 183 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		830.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 13.9592 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 4 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Green Sunfish 6
Bluegill 4
Eastern Mudminnow 2
American Eel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Musculium Fingernail Clam 31
Synurella Amphipod 18
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 13
Lumbriculidae Worm 11
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 8
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 6
Spirosperma Aquatic Oligochaete Worm 5
Naididae Aquatic Worm 4
Ormosia Cranefly 4
Caecidotea Isopod 4
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 4
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 3
Isotomurus Elongate-Bodied Springtail 2
Stagnicola Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 2
Phagocata 1
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Group 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.