MBSS Site Summary for: SAVA-204-S-2010

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SAVA-204-S-2010-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SAVA-204-S-2010-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Crabtree Creek in the Savage River watershed, 8-digit code: 02141006.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/7/2010 and again in the summer on 6/30/2010.

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 Fair - 3.5 / 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 10,846 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 6 %
Agricultural Land Use 9.6 %
Forested Land Use 84.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 19/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 19/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 20/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 48 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 73 meters 		20/20 (Optimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 5 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.76
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		374.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.6222 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 70
Longnose Dace 64
Blacknose Dace 56
Fantail Darter 21
Rock Bass 12
White Sucker 6
Creek Chub 2
Rosyside Dace 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Knotweed
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Epeorus Mayfly 29
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 18
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 11
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 11
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 5
Ceratopsyche 4
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 4
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 4
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 3
Cinygmula Dark Red Quill Mayfly 3
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 3
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Sweltsa Stonefly 2
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Pteronarcys Giant Stonefly 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Taenionema 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Habrophlebia Prong-Gilled Mayfly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 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.