MBSS Site Summary for: WO-S-003-312-97


Located on POCOMOKE R in the Upper Pocomoke River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130203.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/14/1997 and again in the summer on 7/29/1997.

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 Fair - 3.6 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 33,345 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 0.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 51.1 %
Forested Land Use 47.5 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 9/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 80 %
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 25.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 5.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.12
Conductivity 108 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		169.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 11.6 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 31
American Eel 26
Pirate Perch 14
Tadpole Madtom 9
Redbreast Sunfish 7
Yellow Perch 6
Satinfin Shiner 4
Eastern Mudminnow 3
Margined Madtom 3
Golden Shiner 2
Redfin Pickerel 2
Largemouth Bass 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

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

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus acutus acutus

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 31
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 12
Gammarus Amphipod 8
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 6
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 6
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 6
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 5
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 5
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 4
Simulium Black Fly 4
Stegopterna Black Fly 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 2
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 2
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 2
Limnodrilus Worm 1
Amnicola Freshwater Snail 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Tribelos 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.