MBSS Site Summary for: PCSO-118-R-2003


Located on MARUMSCO CR in the Pocomoke Sound watershed, 8-digit code: 02130201.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/12/2003 and again in the summer on 7/8/2003.

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 Poor - 2.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,061 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 3 %
Agricultural Land Use 39 %
Forested Land Use 48 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 7/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 6/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 4/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
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 25.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 3.5 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (3.5 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 5.46
Conductivity 198 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		53 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 13 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 27
Pirate Perch 10
Largemouth Bass 1
Redfin Pickerel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Fowler's Toad
Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Hydrobaenus Midge 39
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 8
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 8
Tipulidae Cranefly 7
Caecidotea Isopod 7
Crangonyx Amphipod 6
Stegopterna Black Fly 4
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 4
Hydroporus Water Beetle 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Parachaetocladius Non-Biting Midge 3
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 3
Simuliidae Black Fly 2
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Dytiscidae Predaceous Diving Beetle 1
Synurella Amphipod 1
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 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.