MBSS Site Summary for: WO-S-005-315-97


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 7/15/1997.

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 - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.1 / 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 50,908 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 1.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 52 %
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 8/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 75 %
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 23.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.23
Conductivity 105 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		205 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 10.7 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 17 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
American Eel 27
Eastern Mudminnow 9
Redbreast Sunfish 9
Bluegill 8
Yellow Perch 7
Pumpkinseed 6
Tessellated Darter 6
Redfin Pickerel 4
Margined Madtom 3
Pirate Perch 3
Tadpole Madtom 3
Chain Pickerel 1
Creek Chubsucker 1
Golden Shiner 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Least Brook Lamprey 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 13
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 10
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 8
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 8
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 6
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 4
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 4
Oecetis Long-Horned Caddisfly 3
Campeloma 3
Amphipoda Scud 3
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 2
Sphaeromias 2
Caecidotea Isopod 2
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 2
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 2
Clinotanypus Non-Biting Midge 2
Oxyethira Microcaddisfly 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Hirudinea Leech 1
Amnicola Freshwater Snail 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Lanthus Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Gyrinus Whirlygig Beetle 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.