MBSS Site Summary for: ZEKI-307-R-2001

Site Photos

Located on ZEKIAH SWAMP RUN in the Zekiah Swamp watershed, 8-digit code: 02140108.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/9/2001 and again in the summer on 8/8/2001.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 9,445 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 4 %
Agricultural Land Use 17 %
Forested Land Use 76 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 20 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 63 %
Embeddedness 75 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 75%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 24.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 5.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.12
Conductivity 70 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		42.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.6 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 16 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 371
Pirate Perch 113
Least Brook Lamprey 38
Golden Shiner 33
Redfin Pickerel 28
Creek Chubsucker 22
Bluegill 20
American Eel 17
Tadpole Madtom 10
Pumpkinseed 7
Tessellated Darter 7
Largemouth Bass 5
Rosyside Dace 5
Margined Madtom 4
Chain Pickerel 2
Fallfish 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Box Turtle

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 57
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 12
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 3
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 2
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Crangonyx Amphipod 2
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 2
Gomphidae Clubtail Dragonfly 2
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 2
Eurylophella Mayfly 2
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Molannodes 1
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 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.