MBSS Site Summary for: WICO-301-A-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WICO-301-A-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WICO-301-A-2008-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on FORRES HALL BRANCH in the St. Mary's River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140103.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/4/2008 and again in the summer on 7/21/2008.

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 - 4.0 / 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 5,827 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 6.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 38.3 %
Forested Land Use 53.5 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 74 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 8 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 70 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 70%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 25.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.37
Conductivity 106 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		532.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.4307 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
Fallfish 43
Tessellated Darter 16
Spottail Shiner 14
Largemouth Bass 11
Eastern Mudminnow 10
Redbreast Sunfish 10
Bluegill 8
White Sucker 8
American Eel 6
Blacknose Dace 6
Least Brook Lamprey 5
Creek Chubsucker 2
Golden Shiner 1
Pirate Perch 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 36
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 5
Prosimulium Black Fly 5
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 4
Hydrobaenus Midge 4
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 4
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 3
Naididae Aquatic Worm 3
Siphlonurus Gray Drake Mayfly 2
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 2
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 2
Hexatoma Crane Fly 2
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Tipulidae Cranefly 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Cordulegaster Spiketail Dragonfly 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Chironomini Non-Biting Midge 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Scirtidae Marsh Beetle 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Bezzia Biting Midge 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow 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.