MBSS Site Summary for: TA-N-053-203-97


Located on BEAVERDAM BR 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 7/23/1997.

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 Fair - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 674 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 0.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 82.5 %
Forested Land Use 15.7 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 7/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 5/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality 8/20 (Marginal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 80 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 80%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.1 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.94
Conductivity 228 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		401.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.9 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 5 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 237
Tessellated Darter 14
Creek Chubsucker 7
Redfin Pickerel 5
Pirate Perch 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper

Crayfish:
Procambarus acutus acutus

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 19
Stegopterna Black Fly 17
Prosimulium Black Fly 14
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 11
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 11
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 8
Stenelmis Beetle 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 2
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 2
Clinotanypus Non-Biting Midge 2
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 2
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 2
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 2
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Hirudinea Leech 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Probezzia Biting Midges 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 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.