MBSS Site Summary for: WCHE-107-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WCHE-107-R-2003-0808 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WCHE-107-R-2003-0809 (Opens in a new window)

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

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 Poor - 2.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 57 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 12 %
Agricultural Land Use 37 %
Forested Land Use 52 %


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 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 3 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 75 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 70 %
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 13.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.37
Conductivity 184 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		128 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.9 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:
Marbled Salamander
Northern Watersnake

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 32
Stegopterna Black Fly 21
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 19
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 16
Hydrobaenus Midge 8
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 4
Collembola Springtail 3
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 2
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Tipulidae Cranefly 2
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 2
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 2
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 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.