MBSS Site Summary for: LOPC-103-R-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOPC-103-R-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOPC-103-R-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Mattaponi Creek in the Lower Pocomoke River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130202.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/16/2009 and again in the summer on 6/16/2009.

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 - 2.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,043 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 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 49.1 %
Forested Land Use 48.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 7/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 5.88
Conductivity 119 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		92.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 17.067 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 5 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Golden Shiner 15
Redfin Pickerel 12
Bluegill 6
Green Sunfish 2
Eastern Mudminnow 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Red-Backed Salamander
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 53
Caecidotea Isopod 20
Synurella Amphipod 8
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 4
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 4
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 3
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 2
Stegopterna Black Fly 2
Tipula Crane Fly 2
Tipulidae Cranefly 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Spirosperma Aquatic Oligochaete Worm 1
Neoporus 1
Phagocata 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Agabus Predatory Aquatic Beetle 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker 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.