MBSS Site Summary for: WILL-404-R-2004


Located on WILLS CR in the Wills Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02141003.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/7/2004 and again in the summer on 9/6/2004.

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 Good - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.5 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 13,664 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 22 %
Agricultural Land Use 7 %
Forested Land Use 70 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 20/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 71 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 75 meters 		19/20 (Optimal)
Shading 45 %
Embeddedness 25 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 11 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 10.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.61
Conductivity 226 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		322.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.7 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 15 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 127
Greenside Darter 47
Longnose Dace 39
Smallmouth Bass 33
Fallfish 32
Rock Bass 28
Fantail Darter 18
Potomac Sculpin 14
Northern Hogsucker 7
Margined Madtom 5
Rainbow Trout 4
River Chub 3
Central Stoneroller 2
White Sucker 2
Redbreast Sunfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 15
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 14
Drunella Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 14
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 13
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 10
Diamesa Bloodworm 8
Neophylax Caddisfly 5
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 3
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 3
Capniidae Small Winter Stonefly 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Oemopteryx Stonefly 2
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 2
Empididae Dance Fly 2
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Tipulidae Cranefly 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Epeorus Mayfly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Serratella Mayfly 1
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 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.