MBSS Site Summary for: WI-S-063-220-95


Located on LEONARD POND RUN in the Wicomico River Head watershed, 8-digit code: 02130304.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/9/1995 and again in the summer on 6/22/1995.

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 - 3.3 / 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 10,171 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 8 %
Agricultural Land Use 33.9 %
Forested Land Use 56.5 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.64
Conductivity 114 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		276.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 6 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 19
Eastern Mudminnow 16
Bluegill 12
American Eel 9
Chain Pickerel 7
Pirate Perch 4
Pumpkinseed 3
Brown Bullhead 2
Margined Madtom 2
Largemouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Simulium Black Fly 15
Amphipoda Scud 14
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 13
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 8
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 7
Gammarus Amphipod 6
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 5
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 4
Eurylophella Mayfly 4
Caecidotea Isopod 3
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 3
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 3
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Paracladopelma Non-Biting Midge 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Crangonyctidae Scud 1
Taeniopteryx Winter Stonefly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 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.