MBSS Site Summary for: WO-S-004-110-97


Located on JONES DITCH in the Lower Pocomoke River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130202.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/5/1997 and again in the summer on 6/16/1997.

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 Good - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.6 / 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 2,020 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 %
Agricultural Land Use 54.2 %
Forested Land Use 45.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 8/20 (Marginal)
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 18.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 3.5 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (3.5 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 6.41
Conductivity 160 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		221.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 15.1 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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Redfin Pickerel 84
Eastern Mudminnow 47
Pirate Perch 38
Creek Chubsucker 8
Pumpkinseed 8
Golden Shiner 5
Bluegill 3
Yellow Bullhead 3
American Eel 1
Eastern Mosquitofish 1
Tadpole Madtom 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Spring Peeper

Crayfish:
Procambarus acutus acutus

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 48
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 19
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 10
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 7
Isopoda Aquatic Sow Bug 4
Sphaerium Fingernail Clam 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Labrundinia Non-Biting Midges 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Corixidae Water Boatman 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.