MBSS Site Summary for: ZEKI-117-R-2015


Located on HERBERT RUN 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 6/9/2015.

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 Poor - 2.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 388 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 6.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 40.1 %
Forested Land Use 48.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 4/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 6/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 71 meters 		4/20 (Poor)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 9 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
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:
pH (lab) 6.7
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		214.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.2979 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
Eastern Mudminnow 4
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Mile-A-Minute
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Caecidotea Isopod 54
Crangonyx Amphipod 23
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 9
Chrysops Deerfly 4
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 3
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 3
Tipula Crane Fly 3
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Stegopterna Black Fly 2
Sphaeromias 1
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 1
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 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.