MBSS Site Summary for: SAVA-120-R-2002

Site Photos

Located on TOM'S SPRING RUN in the Savage River watershed, 8-digit code: 02141006.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/2/2002 and again in the summer on 7/22/2002.

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 - 4.5 / 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 965 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 8 %
Forested Land Use 93 %


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 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 33 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 45 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 15 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.02
Conductivity 70 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		787 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.8 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 2 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 48
Blacknose Dace 5
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander
Northern Dusky Salamander
Seal Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambaridae

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Epeorus Mayfly 18
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 12
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 12
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 7
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 6
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 5
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 4
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 4
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 3
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 3
Leucrocuta Mayfly 3
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Cinygmula Dark Red Quill Mayfly 3
Neophylax Caddisfly 2
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 2
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 2
Pteronarcys Giant Stonefly 2
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 2
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 2
Elmidae Riffle Beetle 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Sweltsa Stonefly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Fallceon 1
Probezzia Biting Midges 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill 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.