MBSS Site Summary for: WIRH-108-R-2000

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WIRH-108-R-2000-11_04 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WIRH-108-R-2000-11_05 (Opens in a new window)

Located on LITTLE BURNT BR in the Wicomico River Head watershed, 8-digit code: 02130304.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/27/2000 and again in the summer on 9/12/2000.

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 Poor - 1.7 / 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 1,752 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 0.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 66.4 %
Forested Land Use 33.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 5/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 50 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 35 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
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:
Water temperature 21.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.48
Conductivity 110 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		180.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 9.4 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 249
Pirate Perch 42
Yellow Bullhead 29
Largemouth Bass 5
Bluegill 4
American Eel 2
Brown Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

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

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Mile-A-Minute
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Caecidotea Isopod 62
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 11
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 10
Naididae Aquatic Worm 8
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 6
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 6
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 4
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 2
Chironomus Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Kiefferulus 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Dytiscidae Predaceous Diving Beetle 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.