MBSS Site Summary for: UPCK-113-S-2000

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-113-S-2000-13_11 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-113-S-2000-13_12 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-113-S-2000-13_13 (Opens in a new window)

Located on SKELETON CR in the Upper Choptank watershed, 8-digit code: 02130404.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/29/2000 and again in the summer on 8/3/2000.

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 - 2.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 536 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 34 %
Forested Land Use 61 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 65 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 30 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Shading 96 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 24.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 5.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 5.53
Conductivity 70 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		94.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 28.6 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
Pirate Perch 95
Eastern Mudminnow 25
American Eel 13
Bluegill 4
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Simulium Black Fly 23
Stegopterna Black Fly 19
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 17
Prosimulium Black Fly 11
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 7
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 5
Simuliidae Black Fly 5
Stenelmis Beetle 4
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 4
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 3
Gammarus Amphipod 3
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 3
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 3
Hexatoma Crane Fly 2
Stictochironomus Non-Biting Midge 2
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Gordiidae Horsehair Worm 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 1
Anchytarsus Beetle 1
Campeloma 1
Hydrobiidae Pebble Snail 1
Allocapnia Small Winter Stonefly 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.