MBSS Site Summary for: LOPC-101-X-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOPC-101-X-2015_50-m-looking-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOPC-101-X-2015_50m-looking-upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on SPRING HILL BRANCH in the Lower Pocomoke River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130202.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/13/2015 and again in the summer on 6/10/2015.

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 Poor - 2.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 9,653 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 4 %
Agricultural Land Use 48.4 %
Forested Land Use 42.8 %


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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 64 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 11 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 70 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 70%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.52
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		292.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 14.0432 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 4 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Green Sunfish 22
Eastern Mudminnow 4
Redfin Pickerel 4
Pumpkinseed 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Fowler's Toad
New Jersey Chorus Frog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Procambarus

Exotic Plants:
Daylily
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Knotweed
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Privet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Simulium Black Fly 51
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 18
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 11
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 9
Hydrobaenus Midge 4
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 1
Somatochlora 1
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Corduliidae Emerald Dragonfly 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Libellulidae Skimmer Dragonfly 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.