MBSS Site Summary for: LOPC-112-B-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOPC-112-B-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOPC-112-B-2008-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on RAYFIELD DITCH in the Lower Pocomoke River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130202.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/10/2008 and again in the summer on 7/8/2008.

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 - 2.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.9 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 490 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 1.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 64.5 %
Forested Land Use 33.2 %


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 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 98 %
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 21.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 1.6 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (1.6 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 6
Conductivity 207 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		165.95 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 7.1129 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
Eastern Mudminnow 53
Redfin Pickerel 30
American Eel 1
Bluegill 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Hog-Nosed Snake
Fowler's Toad
New Jersey Chorus Frog
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Stegopterna Black Fly 79
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Caecidotea Isopod 4
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 3
Synurella Amphipod 3
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 2
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Psectrocladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Tabanidae Horse Fly 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.