MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-102-S-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-102-S-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-102-S-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Emory Creek UT1 in the Corsica River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130507.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/26/2007 and again in the summer on 6/27/2007.

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 Good - 4.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 654 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 16.9 %
Forested Land Use 80.5 %


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 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 2/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 30 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 70 %
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 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 0.8 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (0.8 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 6.55
Conductivity 144 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		194.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 14.2418 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 6 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 66
Redfin Pickerel 14
Bluegill 11
Golden Shiner 5
Green Sunfish 2
Pumpkinseed 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes

Exotic Plants:
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Leptophlebia Pronggilled Mayfly 52
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 14
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 7
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Synurella Amphipod 4
Stegopterna Black Fly 3
Hydroporus Water Beetle 3
Tipula Crane Fly 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 2
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Culicoides 1
Peltodytes Crawling Water Beetle 1
Wormaldia Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Capniidae Small Winter Stonefly 1
Paracapnia Small Winter Stonefly 1
Amphinemura Spring 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.