MBSS Site Summary for: ZEKI-211-A-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site ZEKI-211-A-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ZEKI-211-A-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Kerrick Swamp in the Zekiah Swamp watershed, 8-digit code: 02140108.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/28/2007 and again in the summer on 7/16/2007.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 5.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 8,172 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 12.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 22 %
Forested Land Use 62 %


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 4/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 11 meters
8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters
0/20 (Poor)
Shading 91 %
Embeddedness 55 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 55%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:

Water temperature 22.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 4.9 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (4.9 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 6.82
Conductivity 141 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
159.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.9962 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
Eastern Mudminnow 13
Fallfish 13
Redfin Pickerel 13
Tessellated Darter 5
Least Brook Lamprey 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:

Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:

Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 20
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 10
Stenelmis Beetle 8
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 5
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 5
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 4
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Labrundinia Non-Biting Midges 4
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Neophylax Caddisfly 3
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 3
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 2
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 2
Caecidotea Isopod 2
Leptoceridae Longhorned Casemaker Caddisfly 2
Musculium Fingernail Clam 2
Simuliidae Black Fly 1
Basiaeschna 1
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 1
Aeshna Mosaic Darner Dragonflies 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 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.