MBSS Site Summary for: SAVA-225-S-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SAVA-225-S-2017-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SAVA-225-S-2017-MidpointUpstream (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 4/12/2017 and again in the summer on 8/28/2017.

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 - 4.3 / 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 5.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 16.3 %
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 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 34 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 60 meters 		19/20 (Optimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 5 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.47
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		194.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.9141 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 12 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 203
Longnose Dace 132
Blacknose Dace 107
Rosyside Dace 44
Fantail Darter 37
Brook Trout 23
Cutlip Minnow 11
Potomac Sculpin 9
White Sucker 9
Creek Chub 8
Brown Trout 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Ring-Necked Snake
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes obscurus

Exotic Plants:
No Exotic Plants Observed
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
EPHEMERELLA Sulphur Mayfly 29
TELOGANOPSIS Mayfly 11
LEPTOPHLEBIIDAE Pronggilled Mayfly 8
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 7
PROSIMULIUM Black Fly 6
AMPHINEMURA Spring Stonefly 6
RHYACOPHILA Free-Living Caddisfly 4
DRUNELLA Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 4
DIAMESA Bloodworm 3
LEUCTRA  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 3
HYDROPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
STEMPELLINELLA Non-Biting Midges 3
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 2
CINYGMULA Dark Red Quill Mayfly 2
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 2
ISOPERLA Stripetail Stonefly 2
ACENTRELLA Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 2
DICRANOTA Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 2
CLINOCERA Aquatic Dance Fly 2
PERLIDAE Common Stonefly 2
STACTOBIELLA 2
BAETIS Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 2
HEXATOMA Crane Fly 1
PARALEPTOPHLEBIA Blue Quill Mayfly 1
LEPIDOSTOMA Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
EPEORUS Mayfly 1
LEUCROCUTA Mayfly 1
MICROPSECTRA Non-Biting Midges 1
PARAMETRIOCNEMUS Non-Biting Midges 1
ACERPENNA Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 1
PTERONARCYS Giant Stonefly 1
ISONYCHIA Slate Drake Mayfly 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.