MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-103-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 Fair - 3.3 / 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 1,763 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 1 %
Agricultural Land Use 61 %
Forested Land Use 35 %


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 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 58 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 17 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 55 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 55%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.29
Conductivity 342 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1272.181 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 7.0479 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 9 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 126
Redfin Pickerel 7
Eastern Mudminnow 6
Fallfish 6
American Eel 3
Creek Chubsucker 3
Pirate Perch 2
Largemouth Bass 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Pickerel 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
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 32
Prosimulium Black Fly 11
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 9
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 9
Goniobasis 7
Paratendipes European Non-Biting Midge 5
Chironomini Non-Biting Midge 5
Limnodrilus Worm 5
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 2
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Stenelmis Beetle 2
Bithynia 1
Gammarus Amphipod 1
Musculium Fingernail Clam 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Tipulidae Cranefly 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Pseudorthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia 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.