MBSS Site Summary for: SAVA-101-D-2012

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SAVA-101-D-2012-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SAVA-101-D-2012-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on SAVAGE RIVER UT in the Savage River watershed, 8-digit code: 02141006.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/12/2012 and again in the summer on 6/19/2012.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 318 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 6.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 15.8 %
Forested Land Use 76.2 %


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 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 32 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 48 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 60 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 60%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.87
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		89.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.7504 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 5 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 46
Blue Ridge Sculpin 19
Fantail Darter 9
Creek Chub 6
Rosyside Dace 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Spring Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
No Exotic Plants Observed
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 27
LEUCTRIDAE Rolledwinged Stonefly 8
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 8
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 7
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 6
Neophylax Caddisfly 6
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Prosimulium Black Fly 4
LEPTOPHLEBIIDAE Pronggilled Mayfly 4
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 4
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 3
PERLODIDAE Perlodid Stonefly 2
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 2
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Hexatoma Crane Fly 2
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Epeorus Mayfly 2
HEPTAGENIIDAE Flathead Mayfly 2
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 2
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 2
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 2
Diphetor Mayfly 1
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
EMPIDIDAE Dance Fly 1
Isotomurus Elongate-Bodied Springtail 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 1
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
EPHEMERELLIDAE Spiny Crawler Mayfly 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.