MBSS Site Summary for: UPPC-318-R-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPPC-318-R-2017-MidpointLookingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPPC-318-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 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 32,339 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 49.3 %
Forested Land Use 43.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 8/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 6/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 4 meters 		2/20 (Poor)
Shading 65 %
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) 		259.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 10.896 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 15 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Satinfin Shiner 12
Eastern Mudminnow 11
American Eel 7
Eastern Mosquitofish 7
Creek Chubsucker 6
Tessellated Darter 6
Pumpkinseed 3
Redbreast Sunfish 3
Bluegill 2
Green Sunfish 2
Margined Madtom 2
Pirate Perch 2
Chain Pickerel 1
Tadpole Madtom 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Gray Treefrog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 28
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 17
MUSCULIUM Fingernail Clam 10
ABLABESMYIA Non-Biting Midge 10
DUBIRAPHIA Riffle Beetle 6
ANCYRONYX Spider Riffle Beetle 4
COENAGRIONIDAE Narrowwinged Damselfly 4
CLINOTANYPUS Non-Biting Midge 3
VALVATA 3
PALAEMONETES 2
TRICHOCORIXA 2
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 2
PARAKIEFFERIELLA European Non-Biting Midge 2
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 2
PARATANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 2
TANYTARSINI Non-Biting Midges 2
CAMPELOMA 1
POLYCENTROPUS Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
RHEOCRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 1
RHEOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 1
TANYPODINAE Non-Biting Midges 1
DICROTENDIPES Non-Biting Midges 1
NANOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 1
ARGIA Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
LYPE Net Tube Caddisfly 1
CHIRONOMINI Non-Biting Midge 1
STENOCHIRONOMUS European Non-Biting Midge 1
TRIAENODES Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
MACCAFFERTIUM March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
GAMMARUS Amphipod 1
SYNURELLA Amphipod 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.