MBSS Site Summary for: GA-A-159-202-96


Located on MIDDLE FORK 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 - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 6,744 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 8.8 %
Forested Land Use 90.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 7/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 0 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.83
Conductivity 60 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		66.3 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
Blue Ridge Sculpin 143
Blacknose Dace 59
Fantail Darter 54
Longnose Dace 45
Rock Bass 24
Smallmouth Bass 2
White Sucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined 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
Heptagenia 30
Epeorus Mayfly 22
Prosimulium Black Fly 12
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 12
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 6
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 5
Sweltsa Stonefly 4
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 2
Paracapnia Small Winter Stonefly 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Oemopteryx Stonefly 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 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.