MBSS Site Summary for: WI-S-019-217-97


Located on GREEN RUN in the Upper Pocomoke River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130203.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/7/1997 and again in the summer on 6/19/1997.

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 - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 4,572 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 71.4 %
Forested Land Use 28.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 20 %
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 28.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.51
Conductivity 107 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		180.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 10.4 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 9 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Pirate Perch 83
Golden Shiner 40
American Eel 33
Eastern Mudminnow 22
Tadpole Madtom 13
Creek Chubsucker 7
Redfin Pickerel 7
Yellow Bullhead 4
Pumpkinseed 3
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Painted Turtle
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Stinkpot

Crayfish:
Cambarus
Procambarus acutus acutus

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 52
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 16
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 9
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 4
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 3
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 2
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Gyrinus Whirlygig Beetle 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Palaemonetes 1
Paralauterborniella 1
Caenis Mayfly 1
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Clinotanypus Non-Biting Midge 1
Procladius Non-Biting 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.