MBSS Site Summary for: UPCK-109-R-2000

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-109-R-2000-01 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-109-R-2000-02 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-109-R-2000-03 (Opens in a new window)

Located on HARRINGTON BEAVERDAM DITCH UT1 in the Upper Choptank watershed, 8-digit code: 02130404.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/11/2000 and again in the summer on 7/25/2000.

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 Poor - 2.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,278 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 0.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 59.9 %
Forested Land Use 39.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 5/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 3/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 30 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 50 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
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 19.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.91
Conductivity 180 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		286 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 8.7 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
Tessellated Darter 373
Eastern Mudminnow 144
Swallowtail Shiner 5
Largemouth Bass 4
Redbreast Sunfish 4
Redfin Pickerel 2
Tadpole Madtom 2
Pirate Perch 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Pickerel 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
Gammarus Amphipod 62
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 12
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 6
Simulium Black Fly 6
Caecidotea Isopod 5
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 4
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 3
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Psectrocladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydatophylax Northern Caddisfly 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 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.