MBSS Site Summary for: SAVA-225-S-2010

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SAVA-225-S-2010-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SAVA-225-S-2010-2 (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 4/14/2010 and again in the summer on 7/20/2010.

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 Good - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.3 / 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 19/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 59 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 38 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 10 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.565
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		226.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.5331 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
Longnose Dace 166
Blacknose Dace 148
Blue Ridge Sculpin 139
Cutlip Minnow 26
White Sucker 24
Fantail Darter 18
Potomac Sculpin 18
Rosyside Dace 12
Rainbow Trout 2
Creek Chub 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Gartersnake

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cinygmula Dark Red Quill Mayfly 21
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 16
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 8
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 8
Epeorus Mayfly 7
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Drunella Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 6
Ceratopsyche 5
Prosimulium Black Fly 5
Serratella Mayfly 5
Leucrocuta Mayfly 4
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 3
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 3
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Diphetor Mayfly 2
Psilotreta Mortarjoint Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 1
Pteronarcys Giant Stonefly 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Sweltsa Stonefly 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker 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.