MBSS Site Summary for: UPCK-113-S-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-113-S-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-113-S-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Skeleton Creek UT1 in the Upper Choptank watershed, 8-digit code: 02130404.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/27/2007 and again in the summer on 7/5/2007.

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 - 3.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.9 / 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 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 70 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 5 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 2.3 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (2.3 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 6.39
Conductivity 201 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		231.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 19.6293 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 26
Pirate Perch 19
Pumpkinseed 16
Creek Chubsucker 9
American Eel 3
Bluegill 3
Brown Bullhead 3
Green Sunfish 3
Golden Shiner 1
Redfin Pickerel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Fowler's Toad
Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Watersnake
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Procambarus acutus acutus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Privet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Caecidotea Isopod 15
Gammarus Amphipod 13
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 11
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 9
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 8
Hydroporus Water Beetle 7
Calopteryx Damselfly 5
Musculium Fingernail Clam 4
Synurella Amphipod 4
Ceratopogon Biting Midge 3
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 3
Amphipoda Scud 2
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 2
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 2
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Belostoma 1
Endochironomus 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 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.