MBSS Site Summary for: WICO-113-A-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WICO-113-A-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WICO-113-A-2011-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on CHAPTICO RUN UT in the Wicomico River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140106.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/3/2011 and again in the summer on 6/14/2011.

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 - 3.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 691 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 15.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 33.6 %
Forested Land Use 49.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 72 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 8 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 15 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.445
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		279.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.5841 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
Eastern Mudminnow 321
Blacknose Dace 26
Pumpkinseed 16
Bluegill 14
Creek Chubsucker 2
Fallfish 2
Golden Shiner 2
Largemouth Bass 2
Least Brook Lamprey 1
Tessellated Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 32
Hydrobaenus Midge 27
Prosimulium Black Fly 25
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 13
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 5
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 4
Leptophlebia Pronggilled Mayfly 3
CAPNIIDAE Small Winter Stonefly 3
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 1
CHLOROPERLIDAE Green Stonefly 1
Synurella Amphipod 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
LEPTOPHLEBIIDAE Pronggilled Mayfly 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.