MBSS Site Summary for: SAVA-225-S-2001

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SAVA-225-S-2001-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SAVA-225-S-2001-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on SAVAGE R in the Savage River watershed, 8-digit code: 02141006.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/4/2001 and again in the summer on 8/1/2001.

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 - 5.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.5 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 34,376 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 4 %
Agricultural Land Use 12 %
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 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 40 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 40 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 10 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 16.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.22
Conductivity 210 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		132.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.2 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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 213
Blacknose Dace 88
Longnose Dace 82
Fantail Darter 56
Cutlip Minnow 33
Potomac Sculpin 30
White Sucker 18
Rosyside Dace 12
Creek Chub 4
Yellow Perch 2
Common Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Watersnake

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 38
Prosimulium Black Fly 28
Epeorus Mayfly 9
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 8
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 7
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 5
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 5
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 4
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 2
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 2
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 2
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 2
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Corynoneura 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.