MBSS Site Summary for: WI-S-037-210-97


Located on BURNT MILL BR in the Upper Pocomoke River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130203.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/5/1997 and again in the summer on 6/12/1997.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 11,721 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 4.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 55.6 %
Forested Land Use 39.8 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 5/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 3/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 10 %
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 20.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.28
Conductivity 159 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		252.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 11.1 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 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 235
American Eel 63
Pumpkinseed 28
Creek Chubsucker 26
Tessellated Darter 20
Pirate Perch 13
Golden Shiner 11
Bluegill 8
Tadpole Madtom 8
Redbreast Sunfish 7
Yellow Bullhead 4
Redfin Pickerel 3
Largemouth Bass 1
Least Brook Lamprey 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Stinkpot

Crayfish:
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 27
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 12
Peltodytes Crawling Water Beetle 6
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 5
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 4
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 4
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 4
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 3
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 3
Stegopterna Black Fly 3
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 2
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 2
Dytiscidae Predaceous Diving Beetle 1
Oecetis Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
Palaemonetes 1
Gammarus Amphipod 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.