MBSS Site Summary for: WI-S-067-207-97


Located on BURNT MILL BR in the Upper Pocomoke River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130203.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/7/1997 and again in the summer on 6/23/1997.

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 Fair - 3.3 / 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 9,190 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 4.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 52.1 %
Forested Land Use 43.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		13/20 (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 20.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.3
Conductivity 102 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		223.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 9.1 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 16 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 106
Golden Shiner 105
Creek Chubsucker 39
American Eel 30
Pumpkinseed 19
Bluegill 15
Tadpole Madtom 6
Tessellated Darter 5
Largemouth Bass 3
Redfin Pickerel 3
Swallowtail Shiner 3
Brown Bullhead 2
Yellow Bullhead 2
Least Brook Lamprey 1
Redbreast Sunfish 1
Satinfin Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

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

Crayfish:
Procambarus acutus acutus

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Simulium Black Fly 18
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 8
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 8
Triaenodes Long-Horned Caddisfly 7
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 7
Stegopterna Black Fly 5
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 5
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 4
Limnodrilus Worm 3
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Crangonyx Amphipod 2
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 2
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Peltodytes Crawling Water Beetle 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 1
Pyralidae Snout Moth 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Corixidae Water Boatman 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.