MBSS Site Summary for: CASS-311-A-2012

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CASS-311-A-2012_Mid-pointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CASS-311-A-2012_Mid-pointUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on SOUTH BRANCH CASSELMAN RIVER in the Casselman River watershed, 8-digit code: 05020204.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/28/2012 and again in the summer on 8/15/2012.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 12,866 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 3.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 17.3 %
Forested Land Use 77.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 9/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 70 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 10 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 20 %
Embeddedness 75 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 75%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.35
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		277.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.4663 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
Creek Chub 134
Bluntnose Minnow 121
Rock Bass 56
Smallmouth Bass 17
Greenside Darter 13
Northern Hogsucker 10
Silverjaw Minnow 7
Rosyface Shiner 6
Blacknose Dace 4
White Sucker 4
Pumpkinseed 3
River Chub 3
Longnose Dace 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Water Snake

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Crown Vetch
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
Tree Of Heaven
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
EPHEMERELLIDAE Spiny Crawler Mayfly 21
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 21
Penelomax 8
Antocha Crane Fly 7
Epeorus Mayfly 4
Eurylophella Mayfly 4
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 4
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 4
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Caenis Mayfly 3
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 2
Cinygmula Dark Red Quill Mayfly 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
LEPTOPHLEBIIDAE Pronggilled Mayfly 2
Ferrissia Small Air-Breathing Freshwater Limpets 2
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 1
Psychomyia Trumpet-Net Caddisfly 1
Psephenus Water Penny 1
PHILOPOTAMIDAE Fingernet Caddisfly 1
HEPTAGENIIDAE Flathead Mayfly 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Clioperla Green-Winged Stonefly 1
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 1
Rhithrogena 1
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
Bezzia Biting Midge 1
Drunella Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Lanthus Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Heterocloeon 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 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.