MBSS Site Summary for: ZEKI-301-X-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site ZEKI-301-X-2016-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ZEKI-301-X-2016-MidpointUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Zekiah Swamp Run in the Zekiah Swamp watershed, 8-digit code: 02140108.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/30/2016 and again in the summer on 8/2/2016.

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 - 4.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 8,526 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 10.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 10.1 %
Forested Land Use 64.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 17 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 90 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 90%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
No water quality measurements available for this site.

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
Tadpole Madtom 49
Eastern Mudminnow 33
Creek Chubsucker 27
Redfin Pickerel 24
Golden Shiner 11
Tessellated Darter 11
American Eel 7
Margined Madtom 6
Pirate Perch 5
Fallfish 4
Least Brook Lamprey 4
Bluegill 2
Largemouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Cricket Frog
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 17
Simulium Black Fly 15
Hyalella Amphipod 9
Caecidotea Isopod 8
Triaenodes Long-Horned Caddisfly 7
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 6
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Plauditus Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 4
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 3
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 3
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 2
Ceraclea Scaly-Winged Sedge Caddisfly 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Crangonyx Amphipod 2
Eurylophella Mayfly 2
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 2
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Synurella Amphipod 1
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 1
Bezzia Biting Midge 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Parakiefferiella European Non-Biting Midge 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 1
Siphlonurus Gray Drake Mayfly 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Gammarus Amphipod 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Hydrobiidae Pebble Snail 1
Neoporous Predaceous Diving Beetle 1
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 1
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 1
Corixidae Water Boatman 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.