MBSS Site Summary for: UPCK-113-S-2006


Located on Skeleton Creek UT1 in the Upper Choptank watershed, 8-digit code: 02130404.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/27/2006 and again in the summer on 6/14/2006.

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 Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 441 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 47.2 %
Forested Land Use 51.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 59 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 16 meters 		3/20 (Poor)
Shading 98 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.27
Conductivity 215 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		236.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 27.9787 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
Pirate Perch 40
Eastern Mudminnow 35
Redfin Pickerel 12
Pumpkinseed 7
American Eel 4
Golden Shiner 3
Creek Chubsucker 2
Bluegill 1
Brown Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern American Toad
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Procambarus acutus acutus

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Gammarus Amphipod 24
Caecidotea Isopod 13
Stenelmis Beetle 7
Hydroporus Water Beetle 7
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 6
Crangonyctidae Scud 6
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Musculium Fingernail Clam 4
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 4
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 2
Bithynia 2
Probezzia Biting Midges 2
Tropisternus Water Scavenger Beetle 2
Dineutus Whirlygig Beetle 1
Tabanus Biting Horsefly 1
Bezzia Biting Midge 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Anchytarsus Beetle 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 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.