MBSS Site Summary for: UPPC-114-R-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPPC-114-R-2015_Midpoint-looking-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPPC-114-R-2015_Midpoint-looking-upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on AYDYLOTTE BRANCH in the Upper Pocomoke River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130203.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/9/2015 and again in the summer on 7/8/2015.

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 Good - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,904 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 9 %
Agricultural Land Use 46.5 %
Forested Land Use 40.7 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 10 %
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) 6.61
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		278.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 13.9296 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 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Creek Chubsucker 29
Redbreast Sunfish 21
Golden Shiner 18
Eastern Mudminnow 17
Largemouth Bass 13
Redfin Pickerel 10
Bluegill 8
Tessellated Darter 6
Yellow Bullhead 6
American Eel 5
Eastern Mosquitofish 5
Green Sunfish 1
Pirate Perch 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 50
Naididae Aquatic Worm 11
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 11
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 11
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 10
Caenis Mayfly 3
Musculium Fingernail Clam 3
Gomphidae Clubtail Dragonfly 2
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Isotomurus Elongate-Bodied Springtail 1
Triaenodes Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 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.