MBSS Site Summary for: LOPC-110-R-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOPC-110-R-2016_Midpoint looking downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOPC-110-R-2016_Midpoint looking upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Poorhouse Branch in the Lower Pocomoke River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130202.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/26/2016 and again in the summer on 8/30/2016.

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 - 2.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,616 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 5.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 31.2 %
Forested Land Use 15.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 9/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 7/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 69 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 6 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 75 %
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:
pH (lab) 6.35
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		495.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 11.393 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 6 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Green Sunfish 37
Eastern Mudminnow 21
Redfin Pickerel 10
Pirate Perch 9
Golden Shiner 4
Creek Chubsucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Chironomus Non-Biting Midges 52
Parakiefferiella European Non-Biting Midge 8
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 6
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 4
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Clinotanypus Non-Biting Midge 3
Limnophyes Non-Biting Midge 2
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 2
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 2
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 2
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 2
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 2
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 1
Corixidae Water Boatman 1
Palmacorixa 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 1
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Psectrotanypus Non-Biting Midge 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.