MBSS Site Summary for: UPPC-205-R-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPPC-205-R-2017-MidpointLookingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPPC-205-R-2017-MidpointLookingUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on North Fork Green Run in the Upper Pocomoke River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130203.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/11/2017 and again in the summer on 7/25/2017.

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 Poor - 2.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 8,933 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 6.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 63.4 %
Forested Land Use 27.8 %


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 1/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 65 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 10 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Shading 15 %
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) 6.71
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		384.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 7.842 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 8 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
American Eel 81
Eastern Mosquitofish 45
Pumpkinseed 9
Satinfin Shiner 7
Green Sunfish 5
Bluespotted Sunfish 1
Tadpole Madtom 1
Tessellated Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Stinkpot

Crayfish:
Procambarus clarkii
Procambarus sp.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 77
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 15
CORIXIDAE Water Boatman 10
ABLABESMYIA Non-Biting Midge 6
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 5
GAMMARUS Amphipod 4
DUBIRAPHIA Riffle Beetle 3
PARAKIEFFERIELLA European Non-Biting Midge 2
CAECIDOTEA Isopod 1
TRIAENODES Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 1
COENAGRIONIDAE Narrowwinged Damselfly 1
TANYPODINAE Non-Biting Midges 1
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 1
POLYCENTROPUS Tube Maker Caddisfly 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.