MBSS Site Summary for: WCHE-212-R-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WCHE-212-R-2017-MidpointLookingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WCHE-212-R-2017-MidpointLookingUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on 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 9/8/2017.

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 Good - 4.3 / 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 4,129 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 19.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 7.5 %
Forested Land Use 71.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 6 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 45 %
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:
pH (lab) 7.36
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		901.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.4874 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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 177
Pumpkinseed 159
Creek Chubsucker 52
Eastern Mosquitofish 39
Green Sunfish 28
Golden Shiner 24
American Eel 10
Fathead Minnow 10
Brown Bullhead 4
Least Brook Lamprey 1
Warmouth 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus clarkii
Procambarus sp.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
GAMMARUS Amphipod 50
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 11
CAECIDOTEA Isopod 8
ISOPERLA Stripetail Stonefly 7
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 6
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 3
ANCYRONYX Spider Riffle Beetle 3
AMPHINEMURA Spring Stonefly 3
MACRONYCHUS Riffle Beetle 2
STENELMIS Beetle 2
SIMULIUM Black Fly 1
GOMPHIDAE Clubtail Dragonfly 1
PERLIDAE Common Stonefly 1
CALOPTERYX Damselfly 1
SPHAERIUM Fingernail Clam 1
PHAENOPSECTRA Non-Biting Midges 1
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
OECETIS Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
TRIAENODES Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
MACCAFFERTIUM March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
XYLOTOPUS Midge 1
COENAGRIONIDAE Narrowwinged Damselfly 1
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
BRILLIA Non-Biting Midges 1
CRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 1
EUKIEFFERIELLA Non-Biting Midges 1
TVETENIA Non-Biting Midges 1
POTTHASTIA Non-Biting Midges 1
RHEOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 1
TANYTARSINI 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.