MBSS Site Summary for: SENE-211-R-2001

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SENE-211-R-2001-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SENE-211-R-2001-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on DRY SENECA CR in the Seneca Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140208.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/20/2001 and again in the summer on 8/8/2001.

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 Good - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.5 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 8,127 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 4 %
Agricultural Land Use 68 %
Forested Land Use 26 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 70 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 12 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 25 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 23.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 9.08
Conductivity 420 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		920.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.6 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 24 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Potomac Sculpin 403
Blacknose Dace 332
Central Stoneroller 127
White Sucker 101
Longnose Dace 60
Bluntnose Minnow 49
Green Sunfish 30
Creek Chubsucker 18
Fantail Darter 17
Bluegill 14
Cutlip Minnow 7
Yellow Bullhead 6
Greenside Darter 5
Redbreast Sunfish 5
Golden Shiner 4
Common Shiner 3
Eastern Mosquitofish 3
Blue Ridge Sculpin 2
Northern Hogsucker 2
Eastern Silvery Minnow 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Rock Bass 1
Rosyside Dace 1
Smallmouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Fowler's Toad
Northern Dusky Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Diamesa Bloodworm 61
Hydrobaenus Midge 12
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 7
Stenelmis Beetle 7
Prosimulium Black Fly 7
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 5
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 5
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Diamesinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Stenacron Mayfly 1
Hydropsychidae Common Netspinner 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.