MBSS Site Summary for: WIRH-220-S-2004

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WIRH-220-S-2004-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WIRH-220-S-2004-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on LEONARD POND RUN in the Wicomico River Head watershed, 8-digit code: 02130304.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/22/2004 and again in the summer on 8/24/2004.

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 Fair - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.4 / 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 13,718 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 10.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 48.5 %
Forested Land Use 37.8 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 17 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 78 %
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 19.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.68
Conductivity 133 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		247.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.7 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 17 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 119
Bluegill 32
Least Brook Lamprey 19
Pirate Perch 17
Chain Pickerel 16
American Eel 10
Eastern Mudminnow 9
Largemouth Bass 8
Yellow Perch 8
Margined Madtom 5
Pumpkinseed 5
Golden Shiner 4
Tadpole Madtom 3
Creek Chubsucker 2
Brown Bullhead 1
Redfin Pickerel 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 19
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 14
Gammarus Amphipod 11
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 10
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 9
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 8
Parakiefferiella European Non-Biting Midge 5
Crangonyx Amphipod 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 3
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 1
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Dineutus Whirlygig Beetle 1
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 1
Musculium Fingernail Clam 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 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.