MBSS Site Summary for: WIRH-220-S-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WIRH-220-S-2017-@'P'LookingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WIRH-220-S-2017-@'P'LookingUpstream (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 4/24/2017 and again in the summer on 9/15/2017.

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 - 3.7 / 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 13,675 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 16.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 34.9 %
Forested Land Use 38.5 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 60 %
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:
pH (lab) 6.67
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		370.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.8992 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 16 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 38
Bluegill 35
American Eel 19
Chain Pickerel 19
Pirate Perch 7
Yellow Perch 7
Pumpkinseed 6
Margined Madtom 5
Eastern Mosquitofish 1
Eastern Mudminnow 1
Least Brook Lamprey 1
Redbreast Sunfish 1
Redear Sunfish 1
Tadpole Madtom 1
White Perch 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Common Five-Lined Skink

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
English Ivy
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
HETEROCLOEON 30
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 18
BRACHYCENTRUS Humpless Casemaker Caddisfly 10
LABIOBAETIS 9
SIMULIUM Black Fly 6
CRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 6
RHEOCRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 5
GAMMARUS Amphipod 4
BAETIS Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 4
PERLESTA 4
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 3
MACCAFFERTIUM March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 3
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 3
EURYLOPHELLA Mayfly 2
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
BRILLIA Non-Biting Midges 2
MICROPSECTRA Non-Biting Midges 2
CAECIDOTEA Isopod 2
PHYSA Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
MICROTENDIPES Non-Biting Midges 1
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 1
ISOPERLA Stripetail Stonefly 1
RHEOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 1
TANYPODINAE Non-Biting Midges 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.