MBSS Site Summary for: UPPC-312-R-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPPC-312-R-2017-MidpointLookingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPPC-312-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 9/25/2017.

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 Fair - 3.3 / 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 33,345 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 5.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 49.4 %
Forested Land Use 43.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 9/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 70 %
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) 6.4
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		255 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 11.654 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 12 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
American Eel 13
Satinfin Shiner 11
Redbreast Sunfish 8
Tessellated Darter 5
Margined Madtom 3
Green Sunfish 2
Least Brook Lamprey 2
Golden Shiner 1
Pirate Perch 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Sunfish (Hybrid) 1
Swamp Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Eastern Box Turtle
Eastern Ratsnake
Southern Leopard Frog
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 33
RHEOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 28
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 14
PARAKIEFFERIELLA European Non-Biting Midge 5
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 4
DUBIRAPHIA Riffle Beetle 4
COENAGRIONIDAE Narrowwinged Damselfly 3
ABLABESMYIA Non-Biting Midge 3
RHEOCRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 2
TANYTARSINI Non-Biting Midges 2
MACCAFFERTIUM March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 2
STENOCHIRONOMUS European Non-Biting Midge 2
ANCYRONYX Spider Riffle Beetle 2
POLYCENTROPUS Tube Maker Caddisfly 2
THIENEMANNIELLA Non-Biting Midges 1
LEPTOXIS Freshwater Snail 1
TRIAENODES Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
GAMMARUS Amphipod 1
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
CHIRONOMINI Non-Biting Midge 1
CONCHAPELOPIA Non-Biting Midges 1
NANOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 1
ORTHOCLADIUS 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.