MBSS Site Summary for: UPPC-118-R-2001

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPPC-118-R-2001-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPPC-118-R-2001-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on SOUTH FORK GREEN RUN in the Upper Pocomoke River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130203.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/15/2001 and again in the summer on 6/19/2001.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 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 1,521 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 2 %
Agricultural Land Use 64 %
Forested Land Use 32 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		14/20 (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:
Water temperature 20.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 5.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.34
Conductivity 120 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		154.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 13.5 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
Eastern Mudminnow 587
Pirate Perch 64
Golden Shiner 49
Tadpole Madtom 13
Yellow Bullhead 12
American Eel 8
Creek Chubsucker 6
Redfin Pickerel 5
Brown Bullhead 2
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 25
Naididae Aquatic Worm 15
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 11
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 9
Caecidotea Isopod 5
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 4
Hydrobaenus Midge 3
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 3
Caenis Mayfly 3
Clinotanypus Non-Biting Midge 3
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 3
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 3
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 3
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 3
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 2
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Labrundinia Non-Biting Midges 2
Palaemonetes 2
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 2
Enallagma Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Gordiidae Horsehair Worm 1
Hydroporus Water Beetle 1
Limnodrilus Worm 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.