MBSS Site Summary for: WCHE-105-R-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WCHE-105-R-2017-MidpointLookingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WCHE-105-R-2017-MidpointLookingUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT2 Parkers Creek in the West Chesapeake Bay watershed, 8-digit code: 02131005.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/3/2017 and again in the summer on 8/14/2017.

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 - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 433 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 6.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 4.7 %
Forested Land Use 84.1 %


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 4/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 8 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 67 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
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:
pH (lab) 7.42
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1253.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.0801 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 5 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 75
Blacknose Dace 36
Least Brook Lamprey 10
American Eel 9
Green Sunfish 3
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Procambarus sp.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
GAMMARUS Amphipod 49
AMPHINEMURA Spring Stonefly 14
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 10
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 9
PARALEPTOPHLEBIA Blue Quill Mayfly 6
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 4
PERLIDAE Common Stonefly 3
CALOPTERYX Damselfly 3
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 3
CERATOPOGONIDAE Biting Midge 2
CORYNONEURA Non-Biting Midges 2
OECETIS Long-Horned Caddisfly 2
MACCAFFERTIUM March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 2
LEPTOPHLEBIA Pronggilled Mayfly 2
EPHEMERELLA Sulphur Mayfly 2
MACRONYCHUS Riffle Beetle 1
BOYERIA Spotted Darner Dragonfly 1
PROSTOIA Spring Stonefly 1
CULICOIDES 1
IRONOQUIA Northern Caddisfly 1
NIGRONIA Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
PARACLADOPELMA Non-Biting Midge 1
LEPTOCERIDAE Longhorned Casemaker Caddisfly 1
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 1
RHEOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 1
PROBEZZIA Biting Midges 1
STYGOBROMUS Amphipod 1
HEPTAGENIIDAE Flathead Mayfly 1
PSEUDOLIMNOPHILA Crane Fly 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.