MBSS Site Summary for: WYER-104-R-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WYER-104-R-2017-MidpointLookingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WYER-104-R-2017-MidpointLookingUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT Wye East River in the Wye River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130503.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/16/2017 and again in the summer on 9/7/2017.

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 Poor - 2.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 119 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 12.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 77.1 %
Forested Land Use 5.5 %


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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 4/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 95 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 95%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.54
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		428.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 13.426 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 9 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mosquitofish 1221
Eastern Mudminnow 365
Golden Shiner 18
Black Crappie 11
Largemouth Bass 8
Green Sunfish 5
Redfin Pickerel 3
American Eel 2
Bluegill 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Box Turtle
Eastern Painted Turtle
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Phragmites
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 22
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 19
MUSCULIUM Fingernail Clam 16
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 14
CHIRONOMUS Non-Biting Midges 13
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 4
PARATANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 4
PSECTROTANYPUS Non-Biting Midge 3
KIEFFERULUS 3
MENETUS Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 2
CERATOPOGONIDAE Biting Midge 2
ABLABESMYIA Non-Biting Midge 2
GLYPTOTENDIPES 2
FERRISSIA Small Air-Breathing Freshwater Limpets 1
DICROTENDIPES Non-Biting Midges 1
MICROPSECTRA Non-Biting Midges 1
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 1
CHIRONOMINI Non-Biting Midge 1
PROCLADIUS Non-Biting Midge 1
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 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.