MBSS Site Summary for: QA-N-086-118-95


Located on WYE EAST R UT2 in the Wye River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130503.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/22/1995 and again in the summer on 7/7/1995.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,360 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 41.6 %
Forested Land Use 57.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 5/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 5/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 5/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality 7/20 (Marginal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Poor' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.8
Conductivity 240 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		605.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 22 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
Eastern Mudminnow 52
Redfin Pickerel 33
Pirate Perch 23
American Eel 15
Bluegill 9
Tessellated Darter 6
Least Brook Lamprey 4
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Caecidotea Isopod 16
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 13
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 12
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 8
Gammarus Amphipod 8
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 7
Prosimulium Black Fly 5
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Simulium Black Fly 2
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 2
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Apsectrotanypus Non-Biting Midges 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Mystacides 1
Stagnicola Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 1
Corixidae Water Boatman 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.