MBSS Site Summary for: WCHE-114-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WCHE-114-R-2003-0800 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WCHE-114-R-2003-0801 (Opens in a new window)

Located on SULLIVAN BR in the West Chesapeake Bay watershed, 8-digit code: 02131005.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/4/2003 and again in the summer on 6/2/2003.

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 - 1.6 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 341 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 33 %
Agricultural Land Use 14 %
Forested Land Use 53 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 7/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 24 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 51 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 95 %
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 12.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.02
Conductivity 351 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		684.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.6 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
Blacknose Dace 5
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 8
Tipula Crane Fly 8
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 3
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Gammarus Amphipod 2
Parachaetocladius Non-Biting Midge 2
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Libellula 1
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Dolichopodidae Long-Legged Fly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Diptera True Fly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 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.