MBSS Site Summary for: LOCK-108-R-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCK-108-R-2017-MidpointFacingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCK-108-R-2017-MidpointFacingUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT Hunting Creek in the Lower Choptank watershed, 8-digit code: 02130403.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/13/2017 and again in the summer on 6/23/2017.

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 N R
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area No data available 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 5.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 89.6 %
Forested Land Use 3.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 4/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 5/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 5/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 15 meters 		2/20 (Poor)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 60 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 55 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Poor' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.4
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		186.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.4949 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 1 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
No Fish Observed 0
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Oriental Bittersweet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
SYNURELLA Amphipod 45
ZAVRELIMYIA Non-Biting Midges 18
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 11
LUMBRICULIDAE Worm 6
PHYSA Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 3
CHAETOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 3
CORYNONEURA Non-Biting Midges 3
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 3
CAECIDOTEA Isopod 2
DIPLOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 2
PARAMETRIOCNEMUS Non-Biting Midges 2
ISCHNURA 2
MUSCULIUM Fingernail Clam 2
PISIDIUM Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 2
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 2
AGABUS Predatory Aquatic Beetle 2
CORDULEGASTER Spiketail Dragonfly 1
IRONOQUIA Northern Caddisfly 1
DICRANOTA Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 1
MOLANNIDAE Hood Casemaker Caddisfly 1
PALMACORIXA 1
SOMATOCHLORA 1
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
TANYPODINAE Non-Biting Midges 1
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 1
CERATOPOGONIDAE Biting Midge 1
TIPULA Crane Fly 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.