MBSS Site Summary for: CASS-301-A-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CASS-301-A-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CASS-301-A-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Casselman River in the Casselman River watershed, 8-digit code: 05020204.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/7/2009 and again in the summer on 8/20/2009.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 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 37,695 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 4.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 18.5 %
Forested Land Use 75.7 %


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 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 9 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 5 %
Embeddedness 20 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 22.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 5 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.18
Conductivity 171 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		209 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.2717 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 13 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluntnose Minnow 35
Creek Chub 32
Rock Bass 27
Smallmouth Bass 26
River Chub 22
Northern Hogsucker 21
Central Stoneroller 13
Rosyface Shiner 8
White Sucker 4
Pumpkinseed 3
Greenside Darter 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Rainbow Trout 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 28
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 9
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 8
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Antocha Crane Fly 5
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 4
Epeorus Mayfly 4
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 4
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 3
Neophylax Caddisfly 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Ephemera Mayfly 2
Stenacron Mayfly 2
Ceratopsyche 2
Psychomyia Trumpet-Net Caddisfly 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 2
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Polycentropodidae Trupetnet And Tubemaking Caddisfly 1
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 1
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Haploperla Green 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.