MBSS Site Summary for: CASS-103-D-2012

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CASS-103-D-2012-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CASS-103-D-2012-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on TWOMILE RUN in the Casselman River watershed, 8-digit code: 05020204.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/12/2012 and again in the summer on 6/18/2012.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 270 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 8.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 49.9 %
Forested Land Use 35.7 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 20 meters 		5/20 (Poor)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 61 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.19
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		287.9966 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.3475 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 2 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 6
Creek Chub 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Red Spotted Newt
Northern Spring Peeper
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus carinirostris

Exotic Plants:
No Exotic Plants Observed
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 18
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 13
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 12
Prosimulium Black Fly 11
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 8
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 5
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 5
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 4
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 4
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
LEPTOPHLEBIIDAE Pronggilled Mayfly 3
TANYTARSINI Non-Biting Midges 2
Neophylax Caddisfly 2
Diphetor Mayfly 2
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Neoporus 1
Sialis Alderfly 1
CERATOPOGONIDAE Biting Midge 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Agabus Predatory Aquatic Beetle 1
Leptophlebia Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
LEUCTRIDAE Rolledwinged Stonefly 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.