MBSS Site Summary for: WI-S-057-311-97


Located on ADKINS RACE in the Upper Pocomoke River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130203.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/12/1997 and again in the summer on 6/10/1997.

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 Good - 4.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 13,717 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 1.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 43.4 %
Forested Land Use 53.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 70 %
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 15.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.34
Conductivity 850 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		173.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 14.3 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 15 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
American Eel 92
Eastern Mudminnow 40
Pirate Perch 34
Redfin Pickerel 23
Tadpole Madtom 12
Tessellated Darter 9
Margined Madtom 7
Creek Chubsucker 6
Golden Shiner 6
Redbreast Sunfish 6
Bluegill 4
Yellow Bullhead 3
Least Brook Lamprey 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Yellow Perch 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green 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
Stegopterna Black Fly 31
Prosimulium Black Fly 17
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 15
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 12
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 5
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 3
Cnephia Black Fly 3
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 2
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Taeniopteryx Winter Stonefly 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 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.