MBSS Site Summary for: UPCK-311-R-2000

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCK-311-R-2000-01 (Opens in a new window)

Located on FORGE BR in the Upper Choptank watershed, 8-digit code: 02130404.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/6/2000 and again in the summer on 8/9/2000.

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 - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.1 / 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 6,792 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 0.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 59.5 %
Forested Land Use 39.8 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 9/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 6/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 70 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 20 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 90 %
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:
Water temperature 21.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.52
Conductivity 150 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		207.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 7 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 15 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 70
Tessellated Darter 63
Pirate Perch 48
Least Brook Lamprey 43
American Eel 32
Creek Chubsucker 28
Bluegill 19
Redbreast Sunfish 17
Pumpkinseed 8
Largemouth Bass 5
Chain Pickerel 4
Redfin Pickerel 4
Tadpole Madtom 4
Brown Bullhead 1
Fallfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog
Rough Greensnake

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 20
Eurylophella Mayfly 13
Amphipoda Scud 10
Calopteryx Damselfly 7
Naididae Aquatic Worm 6
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 6
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 5
Caecidotea Isopod 5
Dytiscidae Predaceous Diving Beetle 4
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 3
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 3
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 3
Chironomus Non-Biting Midges 3
Helichus Beetle 3
Simulium Black Fly 2
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Microvelia Small Water Strider Beetle 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 1
Corixidae Water Boatman 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Paratendipes European Non-Biting Midge 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Enallagma Narrow-Winged Damselfly 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.