MBSS Site Summary for: UPPC-305-R-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPPC-305-R-2017-MidpointLookingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPPC-305-R-2017-MidpointLookingUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Pocomoke River 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 9/21/2017.

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 - 4.0 / 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 32,104 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 5.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 49.5 %
Forested Land Use 43 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 6/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 80 %
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:
No water quality measurements available for this site.

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
Tessellated Darter 30
American Eel 21
Bluegill 20
Redbreast Sunfish 14
Satinfin Shiner 11
Eastern Mudminnow 9
Creek Chubsucker 4
Tadpole Madtom 3
Golden Shiner 2
Least Brook Lamprey 2
Pirate Perch 2
Brown Bullhead 1
Chain Pickerel 1
Green Sunfish 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Redfin Pickerel 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Yellow Perch 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Common Five-Lined Skink
Eastern Ratsnake
Gray Treefrog
Northern Ring-Necked Snake

Crayfish:
Procambarus sp.

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 25
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 21
ABLABESMYIA Non-Biting Midge 9
GAMMARUS Amphipod 8
RHEOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 6
TANYTARSINI Non-Biting Midges 6
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 5
PARAKIEFFERIELLA European Non-Biting Midge 5
SIMULIUM Black Fly 4
PROCLADIUS Non-Biting Midge 3
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 3
PSEUDOCLOEON 2
CLINOTANYPUS Non-Biting Midge 2
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 2
XYLOTOPUS Midge 1
LYPE Net Tube Caddisfly 1
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
PYCNOPSYCHE Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
CAECIDOTEA Isopod 1
BRILLIA Non-Biting Midges 1
CONCHAPELOPIA Non-Biting Midges 1
CRYPTOCHIRONOMUS Non-Biting Midges 1
RHEOCRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 1
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 1
PISIDIIDAE Pill Clam 1
CURCULIONIDAE Weevil 1
TANYPODINAE Non-Biting Midges 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.