MBSS Site Summary for: GA-A-022-215-96


Located on MUDLICK RUN in the Savage River watershed, 8-digit code: 02141006.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/17/1996 and again in the summer on 7/18/1996.

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 - 3.5 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,507 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 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 51.8 %
Forested Land Use 47.7 %


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 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 9/20 (Marginal)
Shading 97 %
Embeddedness 35 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.25
Conductivity 270 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		245.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1 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
Blacknose Dace 60
Blue Ridge Sculpin 59
White Sucker 11
Creek Chub 10
Longnose Dace 8
Fantail Darter 6
Potomac Sculpin 6
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Red Salamander
Red-Spotted Newt

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 44
Prosimulium Black Fly 14
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 11
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 8
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 5
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Neophylax Caddisfly 3
Cinygmula Dark Red Quill Mayfly 2
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 2
Stegopterna Black Fly 2
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 2
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 2
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Epeorus Mayfly 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.