MBSS Site Summary for: UPCK-109-R-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-109-R-2014-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-109-R-2014-MidpointUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on BEAVERDAM DITCH 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 6/12/2014.

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 - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.1 / 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 6 %
Agricultural Land Use 59 %
Forested Land Use 34.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 68 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 9 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 90 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 90%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.86
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		288.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 5.0382 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 13 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 95
Tessellated Darter 47
Pumpkinseed 28
Tadpole Madtom 24
Bluegill 18
Margined Madtom 18
Green Sunfish 15
Least Brook Lamprey 12
Redbreast Sunfish 11
Redfin Pickerel 8
Yellow Bullhead 8
American Eel 5
Pirate Perch 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Eastern American Toad

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus acutus acutus

Exotic Plants:
Autumn Olive
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 75
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 18
Simulium Black Fly 5
Corbicula Basket Clam 5
Gammarus Amphipod 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 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.