MBSS Site Summary for: UPCK-102-R-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-102-R-2014-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-102-R-2014-MidpointUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on OLDTOWN BRANCH in the Upper Choptank watershed, 8-digit code: 02130404.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/5/2014 and again in the summer on 6/10/2014.

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 - 3.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 338 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 3 %
Agricultural Land Use 39.7 %
Forested Land Use 55.5 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 8/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 3/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 90 %
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:
pH (lab) 5.84
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		84.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.664 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 4 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 86
Pirate Perch 40
Redfin Pickerel 14
Tadpole Madtom 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Procambarus acutus acutus

Exotic Plants:
Autumn Olive
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 31
Musculium Fingernail Clam 30
Caecidotea Isopod 20
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 11
Crangonyx Amphipod 9
Stegopterna Black Fly 4
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 3
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 2
Neoporous Predaceous Diving Beetle 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Sialis Alderfly 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.