MBSS Site Summary for: SENE-205-R-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SENE-205-R-2015_Midpoint-looking-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SENE-205-R-2015_Midpoint-looking-upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on GREAT SENECA CREEK in the Seneca Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140208.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/10/2015 and again in the summer on 9/21/2015.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 31,254 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 46.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 22.1 %
Forested Land Use 28.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 6/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 4/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 45 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 30 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 50 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.67
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		780.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.0349 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 28 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluntnose Minnow 305
Longnose Dace 240
Greenside Darter 160
Blacknose Dace 148
Central Stoneroller 123
White Sucker 103
Silverjaw Minnow 93
Common Shiner 78
Fantail Darter 78
Rosyface Shiner 54
Swallowtail Shiner 49
Tessellated Darter 43
Blue Ridge Sculpin 38
River Chub 23
Potomac Sculpin 16
Fallfish 12
Creek Chub 11
Rosyside Dace 9
Yellow Bullhead 9
Northern Hogsucker 8
Redbreast Sunfish 6
Green Sunfish 4
American Eel 3
Cutlip Minnow 3
Largemouth Bass 3
Smallmouth Bass 2
Eastern Mosquitofish 1
Fathead Minnow 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Autumn Olive
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Vinca Vine
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 18
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 15
Antocha Crane Fly 13
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 11
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 10
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 9
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 8
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 4
Stenelmis Beetle 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 4
Hydrobaenus Midge 2
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Oecetis Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 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.