MBSS Site Summary for: TA-N-056-113-97


Located on BOLINGBROKE CR in the Lower Choptank watershed, 8-digit code: 02130403.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/13/1997 and again in the summer on 8/4/1997.

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 Fair - 3.9 / 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 1,058 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 1.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 68.5 %
Forested Land Use 27.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 75 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 75%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.19
Conductivity 240 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		160.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.9 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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 42
American Eel 31
Least Brook Lamprey 16
Pumpkinseed 10
Bluegill 8
Redfin Pickerel 4
Yellow Perch 3
Brown Bullhead 1
Creek Chubsucker 1
Golden Shiner 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard 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
Stegopterna Black Fly 41
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 7
Crangonyx Amphipod 6
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 5
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 4
Prosimulium Black Fly 4
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 2
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 2
Endochironomus 2
Culicoides 1
Pseudosuccinea Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Ptilostomis Giant Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 1
Gyrinus Whirlygig 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.