MBSS Site Summary for: LOPC-108-R-2002

Site Photos

Located on WAGRAM CR in the Lower Pocomoke River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130202.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/11/2002 and again in the summer on 6/3/2002.

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 235 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 13 %
Forested Land Use 86 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 6/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 4/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 25 %
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 17.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 5.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 5.41
Conductivity 170 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		56.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 6.4 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
Eastern Mudminnow 484
Bluegill 21
Pumpkinseed 15
Redfin Pickerel 7
Brown Bullhead 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Painted Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Canada Thistle
Japanese Honeysuckle
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Hydrobaenus Midge 26
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 13
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 10
Crangonyx Amphipod 10
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 6
Hydroporus Water Beetle 6
Caecidotea Isopod 4
Dytiscidae Predaceous Diving Beetle 3
Peltodytes Crawling Water Beetle 3
Limnophyes Non-Biting Midge 3
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Isotomurus Elongate-Bodied Springtail 2
Synurella Amphipod 2
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 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.