MBSS Site Summary for: WYER-216-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WYER-216-R-2003-0900 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WYER-216-R-2003-0901 (Opens in a new window)

Located on SKIPTON CR UT2 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 6/23/2003.

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 Good - 4.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,487 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 66 %
Forested Land Use 31 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 47 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 32 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 95 %
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 18.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.26
Conductivity 213 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		763.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 7.4 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 8 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 44
American Eel 35
Tessellated Darter 29
Blacknose Dace 26
Least Brook Lamprey 19
Bluegill 8
Golden Shiner 1
Redfin Pickerel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 14
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 12
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 8
Gammarus Amphipod 7
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 6
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 6
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 4
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 4
Hydrobaenus Midge 4
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 4
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 4
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 3
Clioperla Green-Winged Stonefly 3
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 3
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Chironomus Non-Biting Midges 2
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 2
Tipula Crane Fly 2
Ormosia Cranefly 1
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Stygobromus Amphipod 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Thienemannimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Capniidae Small Winter Stonefly 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.