MBSS Site Summary for: WCHE-106-R-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WCHE-106-R-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WCHE-106-R-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Fishing Creek UT3 UT2 in the West Chesapeake Bay watershed, 8-digit code: 02131005.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/2/2007 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 - 1.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.9 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 210 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 12.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 23.6 %
Forested Land Use 63.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 1/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 1/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 2/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 73 meters 		1/20 (Poor)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 2 meters 		1/20 (Poor)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 90 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 90%. 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 19.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.1 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.97
Conductivity 196 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		803.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.037 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
No Fish Observed 0
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Eastern Box Turtle
Eastern Cricket Frog
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes

Exotic Plants:
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Gammarus Amphipod 60
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 19
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 10
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 6
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 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.