MBSS Site Summary for: SO-S-005-109-95


Located on PASSERDYKE CREEK in the Wicomico Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130303.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/1/1995 and again in the summer on 6/12/1995.

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 - 3.0 / 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 4,870 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 1.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 39.7 %
Forested Land Use 57.7 %


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 1/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		3/20 (Poor)
Riffle Quality 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 20 %
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 23.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.64
Conductivity 100 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		453.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 8 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 8 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 105
Bluegill 32
Pumpkinseed 32
American Eel 9
Golden Shiner 5
Redfin Pickerel 2
Eastern Mosquitofish 1
Tadpole Madtom 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 55
Stegopterna Black Fly 17
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 10
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 7
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 7
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 6
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 6
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 3
Probezzia Biting Midges 2
Ptilostomis Giant Casemaker Caddisfly 2
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 2
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Chironomus Non-Biting Midges 1
Limnophyes Non-Biting Midge 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 1
Helius 1
Progomphus 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 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.