MBSS Site Summary for: SENE-103-R-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SENE-103-R-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SENE-103-R-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Wildcat Branch in the Seneca Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140208.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/13/2009 and again in the summer on 7/1/2009.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 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 550 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 11.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 72 %
Forested Land Use 16.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 44 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 44 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 20 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.12
Conductivity 259 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		416.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.5603 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 9 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 186
Rosyside Dace 74
Blue Ridge Sculpin 64
Creek Chub 38
Potomac Sculpin 17
Fantail Darter 14
White Sucker 13
Green Sunfish 3
Longnose Dace 3
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 49
Neophylax Caddisfly 16
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 12
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 5
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 4
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 4
Simulium Black Fly 3
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 3
Antocha Crane Fly 2
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 2
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 1
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 1
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Philopotamidae Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Dugesiidae Flatworm 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Gomphidae Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Helichus Beetle 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.