MBSS Site Summary for: SENE-103-R-2001

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SENE-103-R-2001-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SENE-103-R-2001-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on LITTLE SENECA CR in the Seneca Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140208.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/19/2001 and again in the summer on 7/11/2001.

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 Fair - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 122 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 11 %
Agricultural Land Use 80 %
Forested Land Use 8 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 35 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 45 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 35 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.34
Conductivity 260 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		559.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.1 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 5 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Creek Chub 134
Blacknose Dace 55
Blue Ridge Sculpin 27
Rosyside Dace 10
Bluegill 3
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 23
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 17
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 16
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 10
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 6
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 4
Neophylax Caddisfly 4
Allocapnia Small Winter Stonefly 4
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 3
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 3
Tipula Crane Fly 3
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 3
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 2
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 1
Sialis Alderfly 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Diplectrona 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.