MBSS Site Summary for: MO-P-276-211-97


Located on WILD CAT BR in the Seneca Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140208.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/17/1997 and again in the summer on 7/10/1997.

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 Fair - 3.5 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,689 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 0.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 81.3 %
Forested Land Use 17.5 %


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 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 9/20 (Marginal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 20 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.16
Conductivity 128 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		266.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.6 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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 234
Blacknose Dace 119
Potomac Sculpin 98
Rosyside Dace 38
Fantail Darter 20
Longnose Dace 14
Creek Chub 10
White Sucker 8
American Eel 2
Brown Trout 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Dusky 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
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 23
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 13
Prosimulium Black Fly 12
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 9
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 7
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 5
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 5
Simulium Black Fly 4
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 4
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 2
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Naididae Aquatic Worm 2
Probezzia Biting Midges 2
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Anchytarsus Beetle 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Agapetus Tiny Black Short-Horned Caddisfly 1
Hemerodromia Tiny 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.