MBSS Site Summary for: WI-S-075-206-95


Located on LEONARD POND RUN in the Wicomico River Head watershed, 8-digit code: 02130304.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/6/1995 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 - 3.7 / 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 8,376 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 3 %
Agricultural Land Use 32 %
Forested Land Use 63.4 %


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 5/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 80 %
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 24.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 5.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.67
Conductivity 84 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		263.1 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
Margined Madtom 63
Tadpole Madtom 53
Bluegill 48
Tessellated Darter 42
Eastern Mudminnow 19
Least Brook Lamprey 7
American Eel 5
Pirate Perch 4
Yellow Bullhead 4
Chain Pickerel 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Watersnake
Pickerel 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
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 62
Simulium Black Fly 29
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 6
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 5
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Gammarus Amphipod 3
Stegopterna Black Fly 2
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 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.