MBSS Site Summary for: UPCK-119-A-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-119-A-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-119-A-2011-2 (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 3/2/2011 and again in the summer on 6/16/2011.

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 Good - 4.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 587 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 12.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 48.2 %
Forested Land Use 37.5 %


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 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 52 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 23 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 15 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.33
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		159.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 10.2466 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
American Eel 17
Tessellated Darter 13
Green Sunfish 12
Eastern Mudminnow 8
Least Brook Lamprey 8
Bluegill 3
Chain Pickerel 2
Pirate Perch 2
Pumpkinseed 1
Redfin Pickerel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Porcelainberry
Privet
Tree Of Heaven
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 47
Stegopterna Black Fly 13
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 12
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 8
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 4
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 4
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Synurella Amphipod 2
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
TIPULIDAE Cranefly 1
Heterotrissocladius European Non-Biting Midge 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Micropsectra 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.