MBSS Site Summary for: WIRH-220-S-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WIRH-220-S-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WIRH-220-S-2007-2 (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 4/24/2007 and again in the summer on 7/3/2007.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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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 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		19/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 85 %
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 16.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.5
Conductivity 168 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		238.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 5.4067 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 13 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 78
Least Brook Lamprey 28
Bluegill 23
Chain Pickerel 19
Pirate Perch 17
American Eel 15
Yellow Perch 9
Pumpkinseed 8
Eastern Mudminnow 5
Largemouth Bass 2
Creek Chubsucker 1
Eastern Mosquitofish 1
Margined Madtom 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus acutus acutus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 13
Plauditus Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 12
Eurylophella Mayfly 11
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 9
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 8
Simulium Black Fly 7
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 7
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 7
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 6
Gammarus Amphipod 5
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 4
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 4
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 2
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 2
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 2
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Synurella Amphipod 1
Perlesta 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Triaenodes Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
Caecidotea Isopod 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.