MBSS Site Summary for: UPPC-410-R-2001

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPPC-410-R-2001-1 (Opens in a new window)

Located on POCOMOKE R in the Upper Pocomoke River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130203.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/13/2001 and again in the summer on 8/23/2001.

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.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 33,904 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 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 54 %
Forested Land Use 44 %


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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 93 %
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:
Water temperature 20.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 5.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.26
Conductivity 130 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		191.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 10.7 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 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Pirate Perch 10
Creek Chubsucker 7
Redbreast Sunfish 6
Golden Shiner 4
Pumpkinseed 4
Satinfin Shiner 4
Tessellated Darter 3
Yellow Perch 3
American Eel 2
Eastern Mudminnow 2
Chain Pickerel 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Least Brook Lamprey 1
Redfin Pickerel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Painted Turtle

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 36
Gammarus Amphipod 10
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 8
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 6
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 4
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 3
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 3
Paramerina Non-Biting Midge 3
Naididae Aquatic Worm 3
Crangonyx Amphipod 3
Calopteryx Damselfly 2
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 2
Hydroporus Water Beetle 2
Gyrinus Whirlygig Beetle 2
Dineutus Whirlygig Beetle 1
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 1
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Peltodytes Crawling Water Beetle 1
Synurella Amphipod 1
Belostoma 1
Chauliodes 1
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 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.