MBSS Site Summary for: CASS-314-R-2015


Located on NORTH BRANCH CASSELMAN RIVER 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 8/4/2015.

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 Good - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 12,079 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 3.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 15.1 %
Forested Land Use 79.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 40 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 48 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 25 %
Embeddedness 0 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.93
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		89.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.6997 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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Longnose Dace 54
River Chub 45
Creek Chub 10
Blacknose Dace 4
Central Stoneroller 4
Rock Bass 4
Northern Hogsucker 3
Cyprinid Hybrid 1
Greenside Darter 1
Pumpkinseed 1
White Sucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Northern Water Snake

Crayfish:
Cambarus carinirostris

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 13
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 12
Parachaetocladius Non-Biting Midge 9
Prosimulium Black Fly 9
Epeorus Mayfly 9
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 5
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 4
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 3
Serratella Mayfly 3
Haploperla Green Stonefly 2
Bezzia Biting Midge 2
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 2
Perlidae Common Stonefly 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 2
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 2
Promoresia Riffle Beetle 2
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 1
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 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.