MBSS Site Summary for: WICO-101-R-2004

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WICO-101-R-2004-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WICO-101-R-2004-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on WICOMICO R UT 1 in the Wicomico River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140106.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/17/2004 and again in the summer on 7/6/2004.

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 Poor - 1.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.6 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 207 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 14 %
Forested Land Use 86 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 6/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 6/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 5/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 55 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 20 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 4 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (4 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 5.81
Conductivity 55 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		25.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.4 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 1 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 24
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Box Turtle
Fowler's Toad
Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Synurella Amphipod 31
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 16
Caecidotea Isopod 14
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 13
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 5
Prosimulium Black Fly 4
Simuliidae Black Fly 3
Stegopterna Black Fly 3
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 1
Hydroporus Water Beetle 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 1
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Tipulidae Cranefly 1
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Wormaldia Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 1
Copelatus 1
Hydrochus 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.