MBSS Site Summary for: SAVA-225-S-2005


Located on Savage River in the Savage River watershed, 8-digit code: 02141006.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/21/2005 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 - 5.0 / 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 34,210 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 3.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 11.9 %
Forested Land Use 83.6 %


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 = 50 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 54 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 25 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.44
Conductivity 210 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		233.2042 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.525 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 9 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Longnose Dace 347
Blue Ridge Sculpin 331
Blacknose Dace 160
Fantail Darter 54
Cutlip Minnow 46
Potomac Sculpin 25
White Sucker 10
Rosyside Dace 6
Common Shiner 4
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander
Northern Dusky Salamander

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 29
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 12
Cinygmula Dark Red Quill Mayfly 11
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 9
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 7
Drunella Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 7
Epeorus Mayfly 5
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 4
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 4
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 3
Serratella Mayfly 3
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Polycentropodidae Trupetnet And Tubemaking Caddisfly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Leucrocuta Mayfly 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Pteronarcys Giant Stonefly 1
Chloroperlidae Green 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.