MBSS Site Summary for: SAVA-225-S-2006


Located on Savage River 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 - 5.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.5 / 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 19/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 19/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 41 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 52 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 25 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.47
Conductivity 194 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		211.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.1855 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 195
Longnose Dace 157
Blacknose Dace 71
Fantail Darter 32
Cutlip Minnow 24
White Sucker 12
Potomac Sculpin 8
Common Shiner 5
Creek Chub 2
Rainbow Trout 2
Rosyside Dace 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 46
Prosimulium Black Fly 18
Drunella Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 6
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 6
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 5
Epeorus Mayfly 4
Serratella Mayfly 4
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 4
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 4
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Atherix 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 1
Haploperla Green Stonefly 1
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 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.