MBSS Site Summary for: SAVA-276-S-2015


Located on DOUBLE LICK RUN in the Savage River watershed, 8-digit code: 02141006.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/15/2015 and again in the summer on 7/6/2015.

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 Fair - 3.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,712 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 6.9 %
Forested Land Use 89.8 %


Stream showing woody debris, logs, and rocky substrate.
An example of woody debris in a stream.

Physical Stream Habitat

Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 19/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 23 meters
8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 61 meters
17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 10 %


Stream Water Quality:

pH (lab) 6.82
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
70.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.8956 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 1 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 13
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:

Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:

No Exotic Plants Observed
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Gammarus Amphipod 45
Epeorus Mayfly 39
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 11
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 6
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 6
Cinygmula Dark Red Quill Mayfly 5
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 5
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 2
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 2
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Brundiniella 1
Malirekus 1
Neoplasta 1
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Sweltsa Stonefly 1
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsini 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.