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

Site Photos

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

Located on UT Three Bridges Branch in the Corsica River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130507.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/10/2009 and again in the summer on 6/16/2009.

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 Fair - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,070 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 2 %
Agricultural Land Use 69 %
Forested Land Use 28 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 66 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 11 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 65 %
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) 5.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.17
Conductivity 259 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		815.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 8.7724 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 8 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 121
Eastern Mudminnow 48
American Eel 22
Fallfish 6
Green Sunfish 5
Eastern Mosquitofish 1
Pirate Perch 1
Redfin Pickerel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

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

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Privet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 71
Stegopterna Black Fly 16
Hydrobaenus Midge 5
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 4
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tipulidae Cranefly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 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.