MBSS Site Summary for: WYER-208-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WYER-208-R-2003-0906 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WYER-208-R-2003-0907 (Opens in a new window)

Located on WYE MILL POND UT1 in the Wye River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130503.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/20/2003 and again in the summer on 7/1/2003.

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 Fair - 3.3 / 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 3,445 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 %
Agricultural Land Use 62 %
Forested Land Use 36 %


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 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 45 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 52 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.93
Conductivity 234 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		589.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 9.4 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluegill 60
American Eel 48
Tessellated Darter 41
Largemouth Bass 6
Redfin Pickerel 6
Eastern Mudminnow 5
Least Brook Lamprey 3
Golden Shiner 2
Pirate Perch 2
Brown Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 29
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 18
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 15
Naididae Aquatic Worm 15
Lumbriculidae Worm 8
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 4
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 3
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 2
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 2
Synurella Amphipod 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Diamesinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 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.