MBSS Site Summary for: WICO-113-R-2004

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WICO-113-R-2004-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WICO-113-R-2004-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on NELSONS RUN UT in the Wicomico River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140106.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/15/2004 and again in the summer on 6/23/2004.

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 Good - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 650 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 7 %
Agricultural Land Use 48 %
Forested Land Use 45 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat

Instream Habitat 8/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 7/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 33 meters
11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 42 meters
11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 15 %


Stream Water Quality:

Water temperature 20.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.82
Conductivity 90 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
227.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3 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 13 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 157
Blacknose Dace 86
Bluegill 76
Least Brook Lamprey 31
Creek Chubsucker 28
Brown Bullhead 20
Largemouth Bass 16
Pumpkinseed 8
Tessellated Darter 6
Pirate Perch 5
Golden Shiner 4
Fallfish 2
American Eel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

Eastern Gartersnake
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:

No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:

Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Synurella Amphipod 19
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 15
Hydrobaenus Midge 14
Leptoceridae Longhorned Casemaker Caddisfly 9
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 8
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 8
Prosimulium Black Fly 7
Eccoptura Yellow Stone Stonefly 7
Paracapnia Small Winter Stonefly 6
Allocapnia Small Winter Stonefly 5
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 5
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 5
Caecidotea Isopod 4
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 4
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 3
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 2
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 2
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 2
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 1
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 1
Hydroporus Water Beetle 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Crangonyctidae Scud 1
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 1
Gordiidae Horsehair Worm 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Philopotamidae Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Phylocentropus Caddisfly 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Ormosia Cranefly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Ceratopogon Biting Midge 1
Platycentropus 1
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 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.