MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-101-X-2005


Located on Three Bridges Branch in the Corsica River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130507.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/27/2005 and again in the summer on 8/24/2005.

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 Poor - 2.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.9 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 795 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 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 56 %
Forested Land Use 44 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 6/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 6/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 30 meters 		4/20 (Poor)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 45 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.26
Conductivity 280 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		757.6785 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 8.3624 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
Tessellated Darter 219
Eastern Mudminnow 117
American Eel 1
Bluegill 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Watersnake
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 42
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 16
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 11
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 7
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 5
Prosimulium Black Fly 3
Calopteryx Damselfly 3
Musculium Fingernail Clam 3
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 3
Goniobasis 2
Synurella Amphipod 2
Simulium Black Fly 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Scirtidae Marsh Beetle 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 1
Dineutus Whirlygig Beetle 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 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.