MBSS Site Summary for: ZEKI-312-R-2015


Located on ZEKIAH SWAMP RUN in the Zekiah Swamp watershed, 8-digit code: 02140108.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/8/2015 and again in the summer on 8/17/2015.

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 Good - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.6 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 52,936 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 19 %
Agricultural Land Use 16.5 %
Forested Land Use 59.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 18/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 14 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 80 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 80%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.9
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		307.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 8.2268 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 19 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 236
Redfin Pickerel 145
Eastern Mudminnow 97
American Eel 81
Fallfish 53
Bluegill 50
Pumpkinseed 37
Golden Shiner 14
Creek Chubsucker 11
Spottail Shiner 11
Margined Madtom 9
Eastern Mosquitofish 5
Redbreast Sunfish 4
Largemouth Bass 3
Striped Bass 3
Tadpole Madtom 3
Chain Pickerel 1
Least Brook Lamprey 1
Pirate Perch 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog
Stinkpot

Crayfish:
Fallicambarus fodiens
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Caecidotea Isopod 51
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 9
Siphlonurus Gray Drake Mayfly 7
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 6
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 5
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Crangonyx Amphipod 3
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 3
Ostrocerca Stonefly 3
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 2
Gammarus Amphipod 2
Ormosia Cranefly 2
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Synurella Amphipod 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum 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.