MBSS Site Summary for: WCHE-106-R-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WCHE-106-R-2017-MidpointLookingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WCHE-106-R-2017-MidpointLookingUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT3 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 6/14/2017.

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 Poor - 1.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 265 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 2.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 3.8 %
Forested Land Use 93.4 %


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 7/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 1/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 15 meters 		3/20 (Poor)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 60 meters 		1/20 (Poor)
Shading 90 %
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:
pH (lab) 7.49
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1908.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.8737 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 2 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 24
American Eel 5
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
AMPHINEMURA Spring Stonefly 60
GAMMARUS Amphipod 21
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 7
LUMBRICULIDAE Worm 5
LEPTOPHLEBIA Pronggilled Mayfly 3
ANCHYTARSUS Beetle 3
MACCAFFERTIUM March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 3
PHYSA Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 2
CAECIDOTEA Isopod 2
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 2
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 2
RHEOCRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 1
TVETENIA Non-Biting Midges 1
PISIDIIDAE Pill Clam 1
MUSCULIUM Fingernail Clam 1
NIGRONIA Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 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.