MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-102-S-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-102-S-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-102-S-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT Emory Creek in the Corsica River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130507.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/12/2009 and again in the summer on 6/12/2009.

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 Poor - 2.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 639 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 14.2 %
Forested Land Use 83.8 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 55 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 22 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
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 19.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.63
Conductivity 75 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		209.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 8.5023 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
Redfin Pickerel 18
Eastern Mudminnow 8
American Eel 4
Bluegill 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Common Five-Lined Skink
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 47
Prosimulium Black Fly 20
Hydrobaenus Midge 13
Allocapnia Small Winter Stonefly 10
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 6
Stegopterna Black Fly 4
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 2
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 2
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 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.