MBSS Site Summary for: SENE-302-R-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SENE-302-R-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SENE-302-R-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Bucklodge 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 Good - 4.3 / 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 5,763 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 1.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 69.3 %
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 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 55 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 39 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 35 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 8.04
Conductivity 138 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		678 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.6597 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 12 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 236
Blue Ridge Sculpin 180
Longnose Dace 49
Fantail Darter 47
Central Stoneroller 42
Potomac Sculpin 24
White Sucker 18
Common Shiner 11
Bluntnose Minnow 3
Greenside Darter 2
Bluegill 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
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 38
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 16
Naididae Aquatic Worm 7
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 6
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 6
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 5
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 4
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 4
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 4
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Neophylax Caddisfly 3
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 3
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 2
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Acentrella Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 2
Simulium Black Fly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 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.