MBSS Site Summary for: SENE-211-R-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SENE-211-R-2015_Midpoint-looking-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SENE-211-R-2015_Midpoint-looking-upstream (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 4/16/2015 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 Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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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 11.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 58.1 %
Forested Land Use 28.3 %


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 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 44 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 35 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 45 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 8.38
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		958.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.663 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 23 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Central Stoneroller 218
Blacknose Dace 175
Blue Ridge Sculpin 136
Bluntnose Minnow 99
Fantail Darter 93
Potomac Sculpin 74
Longnose Dace 63
White Sucker 30
Common Shiner 27
Redbreast Sunfish 23
Creek Chub 12
Eastern Mosquitofish 12
Yellow Bullhead 6
Largemouth Bass 5
Rosyside Dace 3
Bluegill 1
Brown Bullhead 1
Cutlip Minnow 1
Green Sunfish 1
Greenside Darter 1
Lepomis Hybrid 1
Silverjaw Minnow 1
Smallmouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

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
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 29
Hydrobaenus Midge 24
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 9
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
Empididae Dance Fly 5
Orthocladiinae Midge 5
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 5
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 3
Simulium Black Fly 3
Diamesa Bloodworm 3
Leptoxis Freshwater Snail 3
Antocha Crane Fly 2
Synurella Amphipod 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 2
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 2
Planorbidae Ramshorn Snail 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Corbicula Basket Clam 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Caenis Mayfly 1
Hydroptila Microcaddisfly 1
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 1
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Hydropsyche 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.