MBSS Site Summary for: UPPC-206-R-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPPC-206-R-2017-MidpointLookingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPPC-206-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 4/24/2017 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 Good - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.6 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 8,138 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 6.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 62.9 %
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 7/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 4/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (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) 6.87
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		424 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 5.6608 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 18 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Creek Chubsucker 65
Tessellated Darter 58
Eastern Mosquitofish 51
Bluegill 30
Eastern Mudminnow 25
American Eel 20
Golden Shiner 10
Bluespotted Sunfish 8
Pumpkinseed 7
Redbreast Sunfish 6
Swallowtail Shiner 6
Tadpole Madtom 6
Redear Sunfish 4
Redfin Pickerel 4
Largemouth Bass 3
Pirate Perch 3
Green Sunfish 2
Satinfin Shiner 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Painted Turtle
Eastern Snapping Turtle

Crayfish:
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Autumn Olive
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 31
PARATANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 23
CRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 11
GAMMARUS Amphipod 11
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 7
CHIRONOMINI Non-Biting Midge 5
PSEUDOCLOEON 4
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 4
CHIRONOMUS Non-Biting Midges 3
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 2
MICROPSECTRA Non-Biting Midges 2
RHEOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 2
DUBIRAPHIA Riffle Beetle 2
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 2
GYRINUS Whirlygig Beetle 2
POLYCENTROPUS Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
TANYPODINAE Non-Biting Midges 1
RHEOCRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 1
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
PARAKIEFFERIELLA European Non-Biting Midge 1
CAENIS Mayfly 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.