MBSS Site Summary for: WYER-216-R-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WYER-216-R-2017-MidpointFacingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WYER-216-R-2017-MidpointFacingUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT Skipton Creek 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 6/14/2017.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.6 / 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 4.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 63.8 %
Forested Land Use 30.7 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 6/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 58 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 17 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 65 %
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:
pH (lab) 7.23
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		853.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 12.638 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 7 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
American Eel 45
Tessellated Darter 38
Eastern Mudminnow 18
Blacknose Dace 13
Sea Lamprey 4
Green Sunfish 2
Least Brook Lamprey 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Eastern Box Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus acutus/zoangulus
Procambarus sp.

Exotic Plants:
English Ivy
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 48
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 16
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 5
ACERPENNA Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 5
PROSIMULIUM Black Fly 3
PARATENDIPES European Non-Biting Midge 2
HYDROBAENUS Midge 2
CHIRONOMINI Non-Biting Midge 2
CHAETOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 2
CHIRONOMUS Non-Biting Midges 2
CORYNONEURA Non-Biting Midges 2
ZAVRELIMYIA Non-Biting Midges 2
PARATANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 2
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 2
DIPLOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 2
MICROTENDIPES Non-Biting Midges 1
PARAMETRIOCNEMUS Non-Biting Midges 1
RHEOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 1
ISOPERLA Stripetail Stonefly 1
CRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 1
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 1
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
ABLABESMYIA Non-Biting Midge 1
NIGRONIA Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
STEGOPTERNA Black Fly 1
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
HELICHUS Beetle 1
STENELMIS 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.