MBSS Site Summary for: WCHE-103-R-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WCHE-103-R-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WCHE-103-R-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Parker Creek UT2 in the West Chesapeake Bay watershed, 8-digit code: 02131005.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/19/2007 and again in the summer on 7/24/2007.

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 Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 497 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 7.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 11.6 %
Forested Land Use 80.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 2/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 1/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 3/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 19 meters 		2/20 (Poor)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 56 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Shading 97 %
Embeddedness 95 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 95%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Poor' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.2
Conductivity 166 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		766.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.8847 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 3 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 51
American Eel 4
Eastern Mudminnow 3
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Northern Green Frog
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Privet
Tree Of Heaven
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Gammarus Amphipod 85
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 3
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 2
Synurella Amphipod 2
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 2
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Anchytarsus Beetle 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Clioperla Green-Winged Stonefly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Dixa 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.