MBSS Site Summary for: TA-N-001-210-97


Located on KINGS CR in the Upper Choptank watershed, 8-digit code: 02130404.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/17/1997 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 6,747 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 60.4 %
Forested Land Use 35.5 %


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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		19/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 7/20 (Marginal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 99 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 99%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 23.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 5.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.24
Conductivity 252 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		683.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 8.2 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 16 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Satinfin Shiner 147
Redbreast Sunfish 47
Creek Chubsucker 43
Pumpkinseed 39
Swallowtail Shiner 19
Eastern Mudminnow 13
Redfin Pickerel 13
American Eel 12
Tessellated Darter 12
Yellow Perch 10
Bluegill 4
Pirate Perch 3
Brown Bullhead 2
Golden Shiner 2
Chain Pickerel 1
Tadpole Madtom 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green 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
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 41
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 10
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 10
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 7
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 4
Gammarus Amphipod 4
Goniobasis 3
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 3
Eurylophella Mayfly 3
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 2
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 1
Amnicola Freshwater Snail 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Planorbella 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Helichus Beetle 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 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.