MBSS Site Summary for: SENE-316-R-2001

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SENE-316-R-2001-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SENE-316-R-2001-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on LITTLE SENECA CR in the Seneca Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140208.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/19/2001 and again in the summer on 8/7/2001.

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 Poor - 2.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 13,519 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 18 %
Agricultural Land Use 46 %
Forested Land Use 31 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 9.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 10.1 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.45
Conductivity 250 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		642.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.4 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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluegill 98
American Eel 20
White Sucker 5
Pumpkinseed 4
Black Crappie 3
Blue Ridge Sculpin 2
Green Sunfish 2
Creek Chubsucker 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Potomac Sculpin 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Dusky Salamander
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Crangonyx Amphipod 111
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Micropsectra 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.