MBSS Site Summary for: WIRH-101-A-2013

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WIRH-101-A-2013-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WIRH-101-A-2013-MidpointUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on LITTLE BURNT BRANCH in the Wicomico River Head watershed, 8-digit code: 02130304.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/12/2013 and again in the summer on 8/29/2013.

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 Poor - 2.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,143 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 6.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 61.2 %
Forested Land Use 23.9 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 24 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.43
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		267.9971 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 6.9176 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 7 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 191
Pirate Perch 40
Chain Pickerel 35
Tessellated Darter 30
American Eel 8
Bluegill 8
Brown Bullhead 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Autumn Olive
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Oriental Bittersweet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 18
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 17
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 14
Simulium Black Fly 10
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 6
Caecidotea Isopod 4
Hydrobaenus Midge 3
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 3
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 3
Crangonyx Amphipod 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 2
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 2
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
TANYTARSINI Non-Biting Midges 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.