MBSS Site Summary for: WI-S-074-103-97


Located on MURRAY 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 6/18/1997.

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 - 1.6 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 694 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 67.9 %
Forested Land Use 31.1 %


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 5/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 25 %
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 26.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.31
Conductivity 142 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		262.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 10.7 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 84
Tadpole Madtom 35
American Eel 28
Creek Chubsucker 25
Pirate Perch 19
Tessellated Darter 4
Bluegill 3
Brown Bullhead 2
Golden Shiner 2
Pumpkinseed 2
Satinfin Shiner 2
Redfin Pickerel 1
Swallowtail Shiner 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Box Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard 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
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 20
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 13
Naididae Aquatic Worm 8
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 7
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 6
Thienemannimyia Non-Biting Midges 5
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 5
Crangonyx Amphipod 5
Stictochironomus Non-Biting Midge 4
Simulium Black Fly 3
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 3
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 2
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Alluaudomyia 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.