MBSS Site Summary for: GA-A-090-310-96


Located on BIG RUN in the Savage River watershed, 8-digit code: 02141006.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/27/1996 and again in the summer on 7/1/1996.

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 Good - 5.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,766 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 1.7 %
Forested Land Use 97.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 15 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.72
Conductivity 50 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		73.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.9 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 4 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 136
Blacknose Dace 16
Fantail Darter 3
Longnose Dace 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander
Northern Dusky Salamander
Northern Ring-Necked Snake
Seal Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Epeorus Mayfly 34
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 24
Prosimulium Black Fly 10
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 7
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 6
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 4
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 4
Diamesa Bloodworm 3
Heptagenia 3
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 2
Gammarus Amphipod 2
Pteronarcys Giant Stonefly 2
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Capniidae Small Winter Stonefly 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.