MBSS Site Summary for: SENE-318-R-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SENE-318-R-2017-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SENE-318-R-2017-MidpointUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Seneca Creek in the Seneca Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140208.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/13/2017 and again in the summer on 7/11/2017.

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 - 2.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 11,331 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 27 %
Agricultural Land Use 37.7 %
Forested Land Use 32.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 62 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 25 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 50 %
Embeddedness 50 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.61
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		631.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.1138 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 26 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 205
Blacknose Dace 183
Common Shiner 155
White Sucker 124
Potomac Sculpin 111
Longnose Dace 98
Fallfish 22
Greenside Darter 21
Fantail Darter 18
Rosyside Dace 18
Central Stoneroller 15
Rosyface Shiner 13
Creek Chubsucker 12
Bluntnose Minnow 7
Redbreast Sunfish 7
Tessellated Darter 7
Northern Hogsucker 6
Rock Bass 5
Silverjaw Minnow 5
Cutlip Minnow 4
Green Sunfish 4
Nocomis Sp. 4
Bluegill 3
Cyprinella Sp. 2
American Eel 1
Notropis Sp. 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
Privet
Tree Of Heaven
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 33
RHEOCRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 19
CRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 11
CHIMARRA Fingernet Caddisfly 10
AMPHINEMURA Spring Stonefly 6
CORYNONEURA Non-Biting Midges 5
HYDROPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
CLINOCERA Aquatic Dance Fly 3
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 3
DUBIRAPHIA Riffle Beetle 3
CAPNIIDAE Small Winter Stonefly 3
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 2
OPTIOSERVUS Riffle Beetle 2
RHEOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 2
THIENEMANNIELLA Non-Biting Midges 1
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 1
TRISSOPELOPIA Non-Biting Midges 1
CRANGONYX Amphipod 1
LABRUNDINIA Non-Biting Midges 1
MICROTENDIPES Non-Biting Midges 1
PERLIDAE Common Stonefly 1
LEPTOCERIDAE Longhorned Casemaker Caddisfly 1
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 1
CARDIOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midge 1
CHIRONOMINAE Non-Biting Midge 1
ISONYCHIA Slate Drake Mayfly 1
ANAFROPTILUM Small Minnow Mayfly 1
ELMIDAE Riffle Beetle 1
PARATANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 1
ACENTRELLA Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 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.