MBSS Site Summary for: WCHE-105-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WCHE-105-R-2003-0814 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WCHE-105-R-2003-0815 (Opens in a new window)

Located on PARKER CR UT1 in the West Chesapeake Bay watershed, 8-digit code: 02131005.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/6/2003 and again in the summer on 6/5/2003.

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 - 1.0 / 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 433 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 2 %
Agricultural Land Use 11 %
Forested Land Use 85 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 6/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 6/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 8 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 75 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 98 %
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 13.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.1 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.72
Conductivity 146 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		496 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.7 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 1 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Box Turtle
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 11
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 10
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 8
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 8
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 7
Clioperla Green-Winged Stonefly 6
Capniidae Small Winter Stonefly 6
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 5
Caecidotea Isopod 5
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 5
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 3
Ceratopogon Biting Midge 2
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 2
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Cordulegaster Spiketail Dragonfly 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Collembola Springtail 1
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 1
Natarsia Non-Biting Midges 1
Parachaetocladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Ormosia Cranefly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Smittia European Non-Biting Midge 1
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 1
Probezzia Biting Midges 1
Anchytarsus Beetle 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.