MBSS Site Summary for: TA-N-001-206-97


Located on KINGS CR in the Upper Choptank watershed, 8-digit code: 02130404.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/13/1997 and again in the summer on 8/14/1997.

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 - 4.7 / 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 6,854 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 3.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 60.3 %
Forested Land Use 35.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality 8/20 (Marginal)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 95 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 95%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 23.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 5.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.25
Conductivity 250 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		716.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 7.3 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 12 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 83
Satinfin Shiner 66
Eastern Mudminnow 57
Redbreast Sunfish 47
Swallowtail Shiner 45
Pumpkinseed 24
American Eel 20
Creek Chubsucker 15
Tadpole Madtom 15
Redfin Pickerel 11
Pirate Perch 3
Least Brook Lamprey 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 11
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 11
Simulium Black Fly 9
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 7
Caecidotea Isopod 6
Eurylophella Mayfly 6
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 6
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 5
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 5
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 4
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 4
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 3
Naididae Aquatic Worm 2
Goniobasis 2
Pseudosuccinea Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 1
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 1
Clioperla Green-Winged Stonefly 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Diplectrona 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.