MBSS Site Summary for: WYER-120-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WYER-120-R-2003-0921 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WYER-120-R-2003-0922 (Opens in a new window)

Located on WYE MILL POND UT2 in the Wye River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130503.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/24/2003 and again in the summer on 6/25/2003.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.7 / 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 1,185 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 2 %
Agricultural Land Use 67 %
Forested Land Use 28 %


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 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 64 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 11 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 70 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 70%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.74
Conductivity 249 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		512.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 13.3 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
Eastern Mudminnow 60
Golden Shiner 24
Tessellated Darter 21
Redfin Pickerel 12
Least Brook Lamprey 10
American Eel 7
Bluegill 5
Pirate Perch 4
Creek Chubsucker 3
Brown Bullhead 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Musculium Fingernail Clam 19
Hydrobaenus Midge 9
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 8
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 7
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 6
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 6
Gammarus Amphipod 6
Naididae Aquatic Worm 5
Lumbriculidae Worm 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Chironomidae Non-Biting Midge 3
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 2
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 2
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Labrundinia Non-Biting Midges 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Parakiefferiella European Non-Biting Midge 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Clinotanypus Non-Biting Midge 1
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 1
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting 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.