MBSS Site Summary for: UPCK-113-S-2013

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-113-S-2013-MidpointPdownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-113-S-2013-MidpointPupstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on CHOPTANK RIVER UT in the Upper Choptank watershed, 8-digit code: 02130404.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/11/2013 and again in the summer on 7/17/2013.

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 - 2.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 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 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 60 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 20 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 75 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 75%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.14
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		140.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 17.2532 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 87
Eastern Mudminnow 15
American Eel 10
Pumpkinseed 9
Pirate Perch 8
Bluegill 4
Brown Bullhead 4
Lepomis Hybrid 3
Golden Shiner 2
Eastern Mosquitofish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Fowler's Toad
New Jersey Chorus Frog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Pickerel Frog
Southern Ringneck 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
Prosimulium Black Fly 46
Stegopterna Black Fly 33
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 10
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 7
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Hydrobaenus Midge 3
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
VIVIPARIDAE Mystery Snail 2
Gammarus Amphipod 2
Stenelmis Beetle 2
Endochironomus 1
Stilobezzia 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
NEMOURIDAE Nemourid Stonefly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 1
Dubiraphia 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.