MBSS Site Summary for: ZEKI-313-R-2015


Located on ZEKIAH SWAMP RUN in the Zekiah Swamp watershed, 8-digit code: 02140108.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/16/2015 and again in the summer on 8/19/2015.

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 - 4.3 / 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 38,346 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 18.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 18.1 %
Forested Land Use 58.5 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 73 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 2 meters 		4/20 (Poor)
Shading 20 %
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:
pH (lab) 6.89
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		151.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 6.0746 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 15 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Creek Chubsucker 133
Redfin Pickerel 130
Eastern Mudminnow 121
Golden Shiner 94
Bluegill 46
Tessellated Darter 33
Largemouth Bass 28
Eastern Mosquitofish 17
Pumpkinseed 17
Fallfish 10
American Eel 7
Sea Lamprey 5
Chain Pickerel 1
Tadpole Madtom 1
Yellow Perch 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Cambaridae
Procambarus clarkii

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 54
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 6
Taeniopteryx Winter Stonefly 6
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 5
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 4
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 3
Caecidotea Isopod 3
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 3
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Erioptera Cranefly 3
Gammarus Amphipod 3
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 3
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 3
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 2
Stegopterna Black Fly 2
Eurylophella Mayfly 2
Siphlonurus Gray Drake Mayfly 2
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Synurella Amphipod 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 1
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 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.