MBSS Site Summary for: GA-A-558-211-96


Located on SAVAGE R in the Savage River watershed, 8-digit code: 02141006.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/16/1996 and again in the summer on 8/7/1996.

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 Poor - 2.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 3,764 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 1 %
Agricultural Land Use 29.7 %
Forested Land Use 68.2 %


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 3/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 45 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.98
Conductivity 159 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		183.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.6 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 9 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 45
Creek Chub 35
White Sucker 34
Blue Ridge Sculpin 33
Cutlip Minnow 21
Common Shiner 14
Fantail Darter 12
Potomac Sculpin 12
Longnose Dace 5
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander
Northern Dusky Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Seal Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 56
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 15
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 9
Cinygmula Dark Red Quill Mayfly 6
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 3
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 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.