MBSS Site Summary for: UPCK-101-R-2000

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-101-R-2000-01 (Opens in a new window)

Located on FORGE BR UT1 in the Upper Choptank watershed, 8-digit code: 02130404.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/6/2000 and again in the summer on 8/1/2000.

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 - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.1 / 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 140 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 %
Agricultural Land Use 87.4 %
Forested Land Use 12.6 %


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 5/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 46 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 29 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.4
Conductivity 170 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		178.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 7.4 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 9 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 699
Tessellated Darter 152
American Eel 28
Creek Chubsucker 27
Pirate Perch 14
Bluegill 2
Redbreast Sunfish 2
Least Brook Lamprey 1
Redfin Pickerel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Simulium Black Fly 17
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 16
Stegopterna Black Fly 10
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 10
Dytiscidae Predaceous Diving Beetle 9
Naididae Aquatic Worm 8
Caecidotea Isopod 7
Agabus Predatory Aquatic Beetle 5
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 4
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 4
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 3
Amphipoda Scud 3
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Paratendipes European Non-Biting Midge 2
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 2
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 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.