MBSS Site Summary for: ZEKI-103-R-2015


Located on ZEKIAH SWAMP RUN UT in the Zekiah Swamp watershed, 8-digit code: 02140108.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/11/2015 and again in the summer on 6/10/2015.

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 Poor - 1.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.4 / 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 112 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 7.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 30.2 %
Forested Land Use 61 %


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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 51 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 24 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 80 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 80%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.05
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		46.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.9592 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 1 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Marbled Salamander
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Cambarus diogenes
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Bull Thistle
Japanese Honeysuckle
Tree Of Heaven
Wisteria
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 55
Stegopterna Black Fly 22
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 18
Paranemoura 12
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 9
Prosimulium Black Fly 5
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 4
Synurella Amphipod 3
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 3
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 2
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Agabus Predatory Aquatic Beetle 2
Hydrobaenus Midge 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Mesocricotopus 1
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Odonata Dragonfly, Damselfly 1
Siphlonurus Gray Drake Mayfly 1
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 1
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Diptera True Fly 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 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.