MBSS Site Summary for: WIRH-220-S-2009
Located on Leonard Pond Run in the Wicomico River Head watershed,
8-digit code: 02130304.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/23/2009 and again in the summer on 7/20/2009.
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.
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Fish IBI
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Fair - 3.7 / 5.0
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Benthic IBI
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Poor - 2.4 / 5.0
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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.)
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Catchment area
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13,675 acres
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Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
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Urban Land Use
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9.9 %
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Agricultural Land Use
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48.6 %
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Forested Land Use
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38.1 %
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An example of woody debris in a stream.
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Physical Stream Habitat
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Instream Habitat
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17/20 (Optimal)
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Epifaunal Substrate
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17/20 (Optimal)
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Velocity/Depth Diversity
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9/20 (Marginal)
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Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters
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17/20 (Optimal)
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Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 3 meters
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6/20 (Marginal)
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Shading
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80 % |
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Embeddedness
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100 % |
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The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is
very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.
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Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.
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Stream Water Quality:
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| Water temperature |
19.1 ° C
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| Dissolved oxygen (DO) |
5.8 mg/L
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| pH (lab) |
6.92 |
| Conductivity |
156 µmho/cm
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Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
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329.8 µeq/L |
| Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) |
3.4326 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.
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| American Bullfrog |
| Fowler's Toad |
| Southern Leopard Frog |
| Southern Ring-Necked Snake |
| Orconectes limosus |
| Procambarus |
| Autumn Olive |
| Japanese Honeysuckle |
| Japanese Stiltgrass |
| Multiflora Rose |
| Oriental Bittersweet |
| Porcelainberry |
| White Mulberry |
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Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
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| Genus/Family |
Common Name |
Count |
| Polypedilum |
Non-Biting Midges
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46 |
| Rheocricotopus |
Non-Biting Midges
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15 |
| Gammarus |
Amphipod
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8 |
| Parametriocnemus |
Non-Biting Midges
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5 |
| Rheotanytarsus |
Non-Biting Midges
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4 |
| Orthocladius |
Non-Biting Midges
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3 |
| Crangonyx |
Amphipod
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3 |
| Potthastia |
Non-Biting Midges
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2 |
| Simulium |
Black Fly
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2 |
| Ceraclea |
Scaly-Winged Sedge Caddisfly
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2 |
| Thienemannimyia Group |
Non-Biting Midges
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2 |
| Pisidiidae |
Pill Clam
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1 |
| Calopteryx |
Damselfly
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1 |
| Heterotrissocladius |
European Non-Biting Midge
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1 |
| Paratendipes |
European Non-Biting Midge
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1 |
| Orthocladiinae |
Midge
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1 |
| Argia |
Narrow-Winged Damselfly
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1 |
| Cheumatopsyche |
Net-Spinning Caddisfly
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1 |
| Ablabesmyia |
Non-Biting Midge
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1 |
| Apsectrotanypus |
Non-Biting Midges
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1 |
| Cricotopus |
Non-Biting Midges
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1 |
| Phaenopsectra |
Non-Biting Midges
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1 |
| Cladopelma |
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1 |
| Hyalella |
Amphipod
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1 |
| Naididae |
Aquatic Worm
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1 |
Sampling with a kick net.
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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.
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