MBSS Site Summary for: WYER-120-R-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WYER-120-R-2017-MidpointFacingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WYER-120-R-2017-MidpointFacingUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT Wye Mill Ponds (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 Good - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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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 4.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 65 %
Forested Land Use 28.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 71 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 4 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 80 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 80%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.54
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		323.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 27.936 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
Eastern Mudminnow 54
Bluegill 32
Tessellated Darter 27
Pirate Perch 21
Creek Chubsucker 20
Golden Shiner 20
Brown Bullhead 18
Redfin Pickerel 18
Pumpkinseed 16
Least Brook Lamprey 4
American Eel 2
Eastern Mosquitofish 2
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Procambarus sp.

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 68
PHYSA Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 7
MUSCULIUM Fingernail Clam 7
PARATANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 4
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 4
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
ABLABESMYIA Non-Biting Midge 2
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 2
ZAVRELIMYIA Non-Biting Midges 2
AGABUS Predatory Aquatic Beetle 2
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 2
DICROTENDIPES Non-Biting Midges 2
MICROPSECTRA Non-Biting Midges 2
THIENEMANNIELLA Non-Biting Midges 1
CHAETOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 1
PROSIMULIUM Black Fly 1
SIMULIUM Black Fly 1
PARATENDIPES European 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.