MBSS Site Summary for: ZEKI-134-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 3/10/2015 and again in the summer on 6/8/2015.

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 - 2.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.9 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 259 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 9.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 25.6 %
Forested Land Use 62.9 %


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 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 54 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 25 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 95 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 95%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.26
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		123.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 6.6479 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 5 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluegill 25
Blacknose Dace 9
Eastern Mudminnow 3
American Eel 2
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Stegopterna Black Fly 28
Synurella Amphipod 22
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 10
Prosimulium Black Fly 8
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 5
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 3
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 3
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 3
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 3
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Natarsia Non-Biting Midges 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 2
Bezzia Biting Midge 2
Crangonyx Amphipod 2
Chrysogaster 1
Gomphus Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Ormosia Cranefly 1
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Heterotrissocladius European Non-Biting Midge 1
Phryganeidae Giant Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 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.