MBSS Site Summary for: SAVA-225-S-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SAVA-225-S-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SAVA-225-S-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Savage River in the Savage River watershed, 8-digit code: 02141006.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/7/2009 and again in the summer on 7/15/2009.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 15,096 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 5.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 16.8 %
Forested Land Use 77.1 %


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 18/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 42 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 48 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 15 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 13.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 10.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.18
Conductivity 160 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		157 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.1595 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 115
Longnose Dace 94
Blacknose Dace 74
Cutlip Minnow 14
Fantail Darter 14
White Sucker 11
Potomac Sculpin 8
Central Stoneroller 4
Rosyside Dace 4
Creek Chub 3
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander
Northern Dusky Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 31
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 6
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 6
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 5
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 4
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 4
Cinygmula Dark Red Quill Mayfly 4
Epeorus Mayfly 3
Serratella Mayfly 3
Ceratopsyche 3
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Stilocladius Midge 2
Sweltsa Stonefly 2
Antocha Crane Fly 2
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 2
Promoresia Riffle Beetle 1
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 1
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 1
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Bezzia Biting Midge 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Brillia 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.