MBSS Site Summary for: SAVA-204-S-2005


Located on Crabtree Creek in the Savage River watershed, 8-digit code: 02141006.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/7/2005 and again in the summer on 8/17/2005.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 10,214 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 6.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 9.6 %
Forested Land Use 84 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 65 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 70 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 20 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.46
Conductivity 193 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		256.5043 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.7101 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 12 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 167
Longnose Dace 58
Rock Bass 55
Blacknose Dace 33
Fantail Darter 24
White Sucker 3
Bluntnose Minnow 1
Brown Trout 1
Central Stoneroller 1
Creek Chub 1
Golden Shiner 1
Potomac Sculpin 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Dusky Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambaridae

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Epeorus Mayfly 21
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 18
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 16
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 11
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 9
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 8
Cinygmula Dark Red Quill Mayfly 7
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 4
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 4
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 4
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Hexatoma Crane Fly 2
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Hydropsychidae Common Netspinner Caddisfly 1
Rhithrogena 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 1
Oemopteryx Stonefly 1
Sweltsa 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.