MBSS Site Summary for: MO-P-428-106-97


Located on LITTLE SENECA CR UT1 in the Seneca Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140208.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/2/1997 and again in the summer on 6/30/1997.

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 - 5.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 440 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 13.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 55.5 %
Forested Land Use 29.9 %


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 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters
8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 20 %


Stream Water Quality:

Water temperature 19 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.02
Conductivity 350 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
405.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.7 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 72
Fantail Darter 65
Blacknose Dace 61
Potomac Sculpin 31
Rosyside Dace 11
Creek Chub 7
White Sucker 4
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

Northern Red Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:

Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:

No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 10
Prosimulium Black Fly 9
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 8
Naididae Aquatic Worm 7
Diamesa Bloodworm 6
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 5
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 5
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Hexatoma Crane Fly 4
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 3
Unniella Non-Biting Midge 3
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 3
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 3
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 2
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 2
Heterotrissocladius European Non-Biting Midge 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Turbellaria Flatworm 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Paracapnia Small Winter Stonefly 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 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.