MBSS Site Summary for: WIRH-102-B-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WIRH-102-B-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WIRH-102-B-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Peggy Branch in the Wicomico River Head watershed, 8-digit code: 02130304.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/17/2009 and again in the summer on 6/3/2009.

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 - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,747 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 27.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 49.1 %
Forested Land Use 21.9 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 64 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 16 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 55 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 55%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 22.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.49
Conductivity 390 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		535.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.3935 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 9 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 61
Eastern Mudminnow 22
Least Brook Lamprey 13
Bluegill 5
Chain Pickerel 4
Tadpole Madtom 4
American Eel 3
Pirate Perch 2
Pumpkinseed 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Eastern Red-Backed Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Autumn Olive
English Ivy
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
Wintercreeper
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 46
Sphaeromias 15
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 5
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 3
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 3
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 2
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 2
Clinotanypus Non-Biting Midge 2
Oecetis Long-Horned Caddisfly 2
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 2
Tipula Crane Fly 2
Calopteryx Damselfly 2
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Gammarus Amphipod 1
Spirosperma Aquatic Oligochaete Worm 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Labrundinia Non-Biting Midges 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Ferrissia Small Air-Breathing Freshwater Limpets 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.