MBSS Site Summary for: SAVA-204-S-2006


Located on Crabtree Creek in the Savage River watershed, 8-digit code: 02141006.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/13/2006 and again in the summer on 7/14/2006.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
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 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 18/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 55 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 65 meters 		19/20 (Optimal)
Shading 92 %
Embeddedness 20 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.56
Conductivity 175 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		329.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.5346 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 87
Rock Bass 27
Longnose Dace 25
Fantail Darter 16
Blacknose Dace 10
Creek Chub 3
White Sucker 3
Potomac Sculpin 2
Cutlip Minnow 1
Yellow Perch 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Epeorus Mayfly 17
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 9
Oemopteryx Stonefly 8
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 7
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 7
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 7
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 6
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 5
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 5
Haploperla Green Stonefly 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 4
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Diamesa Bloodworm 4
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 2
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 2
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Perlidae Common Stonefly 2
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 2
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Sweltsa Stonefly 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Pteronarcys Giant Stonefly 1
Blepharicera Net-Winged Midges 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Simuliidae Black Fly 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 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.