MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-102-S-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-102-S-2017-MidpointFacingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-102-S-2017-MidpointFacingUpstream (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 4/12/2017 and again in the summer on 7/31/2017.

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 - 1.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.1 / 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 3.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 11.1 %
Forested Land Use 84 %


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 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 72 meters
11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 3 meters
6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 50 %


Stream Water Quality:

pH (lab) 6.84
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
364.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 19.611 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 3 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 70
American Eel 7
Eastern Mosquitofish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

American Bullfrog
Common Five-Lined Skink
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog
Wood Frog

Crayfish:

Cambarus diogenes
Procambarus clarkii
Procambarus sp.

Exotic Plants:

Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
PROSIMULIUM Black Fly 52
RHEOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 7
RHEOCRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 6
LEPTOPHLEBIA Pronggilled Mayfly 6
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 5
STEGOPTERNA Black Fly 4
CHRYSOPS Deerfly 4
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 4
AMPHINEMURA Spring Stonefly 3
OSTROCERCA Stonefly 2
LEPTOPHLEBIIDAE Pronggilled Mayfly 2
CALOPTERYX Damselfly 2
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 2
BEZZIA Biting Midge 2
CHIRONOMINI Non-Biting Midge 2
PARAMERINA Non-Biting Midge 1
DIPLOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 1
MICROPSECTRA Non-Biting Midges 1
MICROTENDIPES Non-Biting Midges 1
PSEUDOLIMNOPHILA Crane Fly 1
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 1
PHYSA Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
STENELMIS Beetle 1
PISIDIUM Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 1
DIPLECTRONA Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
ABLABESMYIA Non-Biting Midge 1
TANYPODINAE Non-Biting Midges 1
CORDULEGASTER Spiketail Dragonfly 1
TRIBELOS Non-Biting Midges 1
IRONOQUIA Northern Caddisfly 1
ISOPERLA Stripetail 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.