MBSS Site Summary for: UPCK-113-S-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-113-S-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-113-S-2011-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on SKELETON CREEK UT in the Upper Choptank watershed, 8-digit code: 02130404.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/2/2011 and again in the summer on 6/8/2011.

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 Good - 4.0 / 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 471 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 45.4 %
Forested Land Use 53.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 70 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 5 meters 		3/20 (Poor)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.015
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		122.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 26.1472 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
Green Sunfish 34
Pirate Perch 32
Redfin Pickerel 23
Eastern Mudminnow 17
Golden Shiner 15
Brown Bullhead 9
American Eel 3
Creek Chubsucker 3
Bluegill 2
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Box Turtle
Eastern Snapping Turtle
New Jersey Chorus Frog
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog
Rough Green Snake

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Stegopterna Black Fly 74
Prosimulium Black Fly 31
SIMULIIDAE Black Fly 19
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 6
Hydrobaenus Midge 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Musculium Fingernail Clam 2
Simulium Black Fly 2
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 2
CORIXIDAE Water Boatman 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 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.