MBSS Site Summary for: UPCK-108-R-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-108-R-2016_midpoint looking downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-108-R-2016_midpoint looking upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT to Beaverdam Ditch in the Upper Choptank watershed, 8-digit code: 02130404.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/8/2016 and again in the summer on 8/18/2016.

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 - 2.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 371 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 0.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 53.6 %
Forested Land Use 29 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 3/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 7/20 (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 5 %
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:
pH (lab) 6.19
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		251.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 8.597 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 7 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mosquitofish 446
Eastern Mudminnow 441
American Eel 5
Yellow Bullhead 5
Tadpole Madtom 3
Pirate Perch 2
Redfin Pickerel 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
New Jersey Chorus Frog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper

Crayfish:
Orconectes

Exotic Plants:
No Exotic Plants Observed
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 32
Musculium Fingernail Clam 14
Caecidotea Isopod 13
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 8
Synurella Amphipod 7
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 5
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 3
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 3
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Chaoborus 2
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 2
Gammarus Amphipod 2
Pseudosuccinea Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Ceratopogon Biting Midge 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Tanypus Non-Biting Midge 1
Chironomus Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Chironomini Non-Biting Midge 1
Cladotanytarsus Non-Biting Midge 1
Clinotanypus Non-Biting Midge 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 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.