MBSS Site Summary for: MO-P-474-317-97


Located on SENECA CR in the Seneca Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140208.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/20/1997 and again in the summer on 6/25/1997.

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 Poor - 1.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 18,422 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 4.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 53 %
Forested Land Use 39.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality 16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 35 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.3
Conductivity 158 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		564.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3 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 8 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 333
Potomac Sculpin 200
Blacknose Dace 76
Fantail Darter 42
Longnose Dace 23
Greenside Darter 8
White Sucker 8
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 36
Naididae Aquatic Worm 20
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 12
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 12
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 6
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 4
Diamesa Bloodworm 4
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 2
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 1
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 1
Prostoia Spring 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.