MBSS Site Summary for: UPCK-211-X-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-211-X-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-211-X-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Herring Run in the Upper Choptank watershed, 8-digit code: 02130404.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/27/2007 and again in the summer on 7/2/2007.

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.
Fish IBI Good - 5.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,756 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 0.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 60.3 %
Forested Land Use 37.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 5/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 3/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 68 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 7 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 50 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.78
Conductivity 165 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		324.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 7.3816 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 16 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Pirate Perch 55
Eastern Mudminnow 46
Fallfish 38
Redbreast Sunfish 31
American Eel 21
Tessellated Darter 20
Bluegill 13
Redfin Pickerel 13
Creek Chubsucker 6
Largemouth Bass 5
Margined Madtom 5
Yellow Bullhead 5
Least Brook Lamprey 4
Pumpkinseed 3
Chain Pickerel 2
Golden Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus acutus acutus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Knotweed
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Gammarus Amphipod 22
Prosimulium Black Fly 13
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 12
Amnicola Freshwater Snail 6
Musculium Fingernail Clam 6
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 4
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 3
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Stenelmis Beetle 2
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Ferrissia Small Air-Breathing Freshwater Limpets 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Probezzia Biting Midges 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Corduliidae Emerald Dragonfly 1
Labrundinia Non-Biting Midges 1
Campeloma 1
Helisoma 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.