MBSS Site Summary for: WCHE-119-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WCHE-119-R-2003-0818 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WCHE-119-R-2003-0819 (Opens in a new window)

Located on GRAYS CR in the West Chesapeake Bay watershed, 8-digit code: 02131005.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/6/2003 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 Fair - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 187 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 15 %
Agricultural Land Use 3 %
Forested Land Use 80 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 63 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 14 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 97 %
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 14.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.1 mg/L
pH (lab) 5.17
Conductivity 73 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		17.9 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 2 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Least Brook Lamprey 95
American Eel 4
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Northern Watersnake
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 24
Anchytarsus Beetle 10
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 10
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 9
Prosimulium Black Fly 9
Hexatoma Crane Fly 8
Stegopterna Black Fly 6
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 3
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 3
Natarsia Non-Biting Midges 3
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 2
Psilotreta Mortarjoint Casemaker Caddisfly 2
Parachaetocladius Non-Biting Midge 2
Apsectrotanypus Non-Biting Midges 2
Synurella Amphipod 2
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 2
Gomphidae Clubtail Dragonfly 2
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 2
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Oecetis Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
Triaenodes Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Ptychoptera 1
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 1
Eccoptura Yellow Stone Stonefly 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.