MBSS Site Summary for: LOCK-126-R-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCK-126-R-2017-MidpointFacingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCK-126-R-2017-MidpointFacingUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Blinkhorn 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 7/13/2017.

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 Good - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,091 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 6.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 81.6 %
Forested Land Use 11 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 63 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 12 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 55 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 55%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.96
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		423 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.6696 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 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Least Brook Lamprey 107
Tessellated Darter 70
American Eel 37
Eastern Mudminnow 24
Green Sunfish 19
Mummichog 9
Brown Bullhead 6
Pumpkinseed 5
Yellow Bullhead 3
Bluegill 2
Lepomis Hybrid 2
Pirate Perch 2
Spottail Shiner 2
Largemouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Common Five-Lined Skink
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
PARAMETRIOCNEMUS Non-Biting Midges 33
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 20
TVETENIA Non-Biting Midges 17
THIENEMANNIELLA Non-Biting Midges 8
GAMMARUS Amphipod 8
SYNURELLA Amphipod 6
CORYNONEURA Non-Biting Midges 6
PARAKIEFFERIELLA European Non-Biting Midge 4
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 3
RHEOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 3
BOYERIA Spotted Darner Dragonfly 3
LUMBRICULIDAE Worm 2
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 2
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 2
PARATENDIPES European Non-Biting Midge 2
MUSCULIUM Fingernail Clam 1
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
ABLABESMYIA Non-Biting Midge 1
STENELMIS Beetle 1
CERATOPOGONIDAE Biting Midge 1
NANOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 1
ANCYRONYX Spider Riffle Beetle 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.