MBSS Site Summary for: UPCK-113-S-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-113-S-2015_Midpoint-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-113-S-2015_Midpoint-upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on SKELETON CREEK in the Upper Choptank watershed, 8-digit code: 02130404.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/9/2015 and again in the summer on 9/4/2015.

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 - 2.3 / 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 471 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 3.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 40.5 %
Forested Land Use 52.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 39 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 36 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.4
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		312.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 20.5981 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 7 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Green Sunfish 44
Eastern Mudminnow 21
Pirate Perch 7
Bluegill 4
American Eel 3
Lepomis Hybrid 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

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

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No Exotic Plants Observed
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 50
Prosimulium Black Fly 13
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 12
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 10
Chironomini Non-Biting Midge 5
Stegopterna Black Fly 4
Campeloma 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 2
Simulium Black Fly 2
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 1
Cura Flatworm 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Gammarus Amphipod 1
Synurella Amphipod 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Cnephia Black Fly 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Paratanytarsus 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.