MBSS Site Summary for: LOPC-118-R-2002

Site Photos

Located on KELLY MILL BR 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 - 1.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.7 / 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 1,137 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 57 %
Forested Land Use 41 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 5/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 80 %
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 22.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.81
Conductivity 150 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		89.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 11.3 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 1 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 5
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 25
Stegopterna Black Fly 20
Hydrobaenus Midge 18
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 7
Smittia European Non-Biting Midge 6
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 4
Stagnicola Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 3
Peltodytes Crawling Water Beetle 2
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 2
Sciomyzidae Marsh Fly 2
Dytiscidae Predaceous Diving Beetle 2
Agabus Predatory Aquatic Beetle 2
Hydroporus Water Beetle 1
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 1
Agabetes Predaceous Diving Beetle 1
Sphaerium Fingernail Clam 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Tipulidae Cranefly 1
Lepidoptera Aquatic Moth 1
Simulium Black 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.