MBSS Site Summary for: UPCK-101-R-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-101-R-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-101-R-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Forge Branch UT2 in the Upper Choptank watershed, 8-digit code: 02130404.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/27/2007 and again in the summer on 6/28/2007.

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 Poor - 1.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.9 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 45 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 13.6 %
Forested Land Use 86.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 0/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 1/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 0/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 11 meters 		1/20 (Poor)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
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.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Poor' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 23.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 1.2 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (1.2 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 5
Conductivity 147 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		6.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 19.728 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 1 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
No Fish Observed 0
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Knotweed
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Caecidotea Isopod 65
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 18
Crangonyx Amphipod 6
Lumbriculidae Worm 4
Synurella Amphipod 3
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Kiefferulus 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Dytiscidae Predaceous Diving Beetle 1
Agabus Predatory Aquatic Beetle 1
Mochlonyx 1
Aedes Mosquito 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 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.