MBSS Site Summary for: UPCK-210-R-2007
Located on Hog Creek in the Upper Choptank watershed,
8-digit code: 02130404.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/22/2007 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.
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Fish IBI
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Good - 5.0 / 5.0
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Benthic IBI
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Good - 4.7 / 5.0
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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.)
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Catchment area
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2,070 acres
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Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
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Urban Land Use
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0.6 %
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Agricultural Land Use
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72.5 %
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Forested Land Use
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25.9 %
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An example of woody debris in a stream.
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Physical Stream Habitat
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Instream Habitat
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17/20 (Optimal)
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Epifaunal Substrate
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13/20 (Suboptimal)
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Velocity/Depth Diversity
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7/20 (Marginal)
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Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 73 meters
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16/20 (Optimal)
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Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 2 meters
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16/20 (Optimal)
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Shading
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10 % |
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Embeddedness
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100 % |
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The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is
very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.
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Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.
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Stream Water Quality:
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| Water temperature |
19 ° C
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| Dissolved oxygen (DO) |
7.5 mg/L
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| pH (lab) |
6.64 |
| Conductivity |
186 µmho/cm
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Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
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199.1 µeq/L |
| Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) |
3.4612 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.
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| Eastern American Toad |
| Eastern Box Turtle |
| Eastern Snapping Turtle |
| Northern Green Frog |
| Northern Watersnake |
| Pickerel Frog |
| Cambarus diogenes |
| Orconectes limosus |
| Procambarus acutus acutus |
| Common Reed (Phragmites) |
| Japanese Honeysuckle |
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Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
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| Genus/Family |
Common Name |
Count |
| Thienemannimyia group |
Non-Biting Midges
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19 |
| Hyalella |
Amphipod
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16 |
| Isoperla |
Stripetail Stonefly
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14 |
| Stenonema |
Flatheaded Mayfly
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7 |
| Ephemerella |
Sulphur Mayfly
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6 |
| Caecidotea |
Isopod
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4 |
| Coenagrionidae |
Narrowwinged Damselfly
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4 |
| Cheumatopsyche |
Net-Spinning Caddisfly
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4 |
| Gammarus |
Amphipod
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4 |
| Calopteryx |
Damselfly
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4 |
| Phaenopsectra |
Non-Biting Midges
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3 |
| Rheosmittia |
Non-Biting Midges
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2 |
| Stempellinella |
Non-Biting Midges
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2 |
| Tanypodinae |
Non-Biting Midges
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2 |
| Physa |
Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail
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2 |
| Oxyethira |
Microcaddisfly
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2 |
| Orthocladiinae |
Midge
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1 |
| Labrundinia |
Non-Biting Midges
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1 |
| Argia |
Narrow-Winged Damselfly
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1 |
| Belostoma |
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1 |
| Synurella |
Amphipod
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1 |
| Bezzia |
Biting Midge
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1 |
| Ceratopogonidae |
Biting Midge
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1 |
| Polypedilum |
Non-Biting Midges
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1 |
| Polycentropus |
Tube Maker Caddisfly
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1 |
| Hydroporus |
Water Beetle
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1 |
| Zavrelimyia |
Non-Biting Midges
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1 |
| Ancyronyx |
Spider Riffle Beetle
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1 |
Sampling with a kick net.
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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.
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