MBSS Site Summary for: ZEKI-201-A-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site ZEKI-201-A-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ZEKI-201-A-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Zekiah Swamp Run UT5 in the Zekiah Swamp watershed, 8-digit code: 02140108.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/27/2007 and again in the summer on 6/13/2007.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,311 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 13.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 30.8 %
Forested Land Use 53.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 5/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 70 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 11 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 95 %
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 21.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.55
Conductivity 104 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		100.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.3396 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 13 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluegill 72
Creek Chubsucker 36
Eastern Mudminnow 24
Pumpkinseed 11
Pirate Perch 10
Brown Bullhead 8
Redfin Pickerel 6
Tessellated Darter 5
Fallfish 4
Golden Shiner 4
Largemouth Bass 3
American Eel 2
Black Crappie 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Spring Peeper
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus
Cambarus diogenes
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 36
Synurella Amphipod 11
Caecidotea Isopod 9
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 8
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 7
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Parakiefferiella European Non-Biting Midge 3
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 2
Crangonyx Amphipod 2
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 2
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Hydrobius Water Scavenger Beetle 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Clioperla Green-Winged Stonefly 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Stilocladius Midge 1
Xylotopus Midge 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Probezzia Biting Midges 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Chrysops Deerfly 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.