MBSS Site Summary for: CASS-216-R-2015


Located on BIG SHADE RUN in the Casselman River watershed, 8-digit code: 05020204.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/1/2015 and again in the summer on 7/20/2015.

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 Fair - 3.5 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.5 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,641 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 3.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 24.5 %
Forested Land Use 72 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 34 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 46 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 45 %
Embeddedness 0 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.16
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		154.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.3115 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 4 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Creek Chub 65
Blacknose Dace 55
Longnose Dace 21
White Sucker 7
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Eastern Red-Backed Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus carinirostris

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 18
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 10
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 9
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 9
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 7
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 7
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 5
Epeorus Mayfly 5
Serratella Mayfly 4
Parachaetocladius Non-Biting Midge 4
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 3
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 3
Neophylax Caddisfly 3
Hexatoma Crane Fly 3
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 2
Limnophyes Non-Biting Midge 2
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Psychomyia Trumpet-Net Caddisfly 1
Tallaperla Roach-Like Stonefly 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 1
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Leucrocuta Mayfly 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Empididae Dance Fly 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Micrasema 1
Probezzia 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.