MBSS Site Summary for: LOWI-205-B-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOWI-205-B-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOWI-205-B-2008-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on BEAVERDAM CREEK in the Lower Wicomico River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130301.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/11/2008 and again in the summer on 7/7/2008.

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 - 2.0 / 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 4,044 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 6.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 42.4 %
Forested Land Use 47.5 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 8/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
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:
Water temperature 23.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 5.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.05
Conductivity 132 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		125.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 9.0291 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 7 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluegill 27
Eastern Mudminnow 24
Pirate Perch 11
Pumpkinseed 2
Chain Pickerel 1
Creek Chubsucker 1
Redfin Pickerel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Eastern Gartersnake
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog
Northern/southern Ring-Necked Snake Intergrade
Southern Leopard Frog
Southern Ring-Necked Snake

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Privet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Stegopterna Black Fly 59
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 21
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 10
Cnephia Black Fly 7
Ormosia Cranefly 6
Crangonyctidae Scud 6
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Caecidotea Isopod 2
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Limnophyes Non-Biting Midge 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Spirosperma Aquatic Oligochaete Worm 1
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane 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.