MBSS Site Summary for: SENE-210-R-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SENE-210-R-2015_Midpoint-looking-down (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SENE-210-R-2015_Midpoint-looking-up (Opens in a new window)

Located on DRY SENECA CREEK in the Seneca Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140208.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/15/2015 and again in the summer on 8/5/2015.

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 - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.5 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 10,214 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 11.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 57.9 %
Forested Land Use 28.8 %


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 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 67 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 8 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 45 %
Embeddedness 60 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 60%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 8.2
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		974.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.75 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 17 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Central Stoneroller 120
Redbreast Sunfish 106
Potomac Sculpin 93
Bluntnose Minnow 86
Common Shiner 34
Blacknose Dace 27
Eastern Mosquitofish 27
Fantail Darter 24
Yellow Bullhead 23
White Sucker 12
Green Sunfish 10
Largemouth Bass 8
Bluegill 6
Smallmouth Bass 3
Blue Ridge Sculpin 2
Cutlip Minnow 1
Longear Sunfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern American Toad
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

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

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 45
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 11
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 10
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 9
Hydrobaenus Midge 8
Orthocladiinae Midge 8
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 4
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 4
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 3
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 3
Neoplasta 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Caenis Mayfly 2
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 2
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Hydroptila Microcaddisfly 1
Chironomini Non-Biting Midge 1
Chironomus Non-Biting Midges 1
Planorbella 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Empididae Dance Fly 1
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Leptoxis Freshwater Snail 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill 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.