MBSS Site Summary for: LOWI-209-B-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOWI-209-B-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOWI-209-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 - 1.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.6 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 4,152 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 6.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 42.2 %
Forested Land Use 47.8 %


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 6/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 95 %
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 21.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 5.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.05
Conductivity 124 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		122.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 8.9925 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
Bluegill 31
Eastern Mudminnow 19
Pirate Perch 17
Pumpkinseed 3
Redfin Pickerel 2
American Eel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Fowler's Toad
Gray Treefrog
New Jersey Chorus Frog
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Stegopterna Black Fly 113
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 7
Simulium Black Fly 4
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 3
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 3
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 2
Gammarus Amphipod 2
Synurella Amphipod 2
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 1
Apsectrotanypus Non-Biting Midges 1
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 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.