MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-105-X-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-105-X-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-105-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 8/3/2009.

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 Poor - 2.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 784 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 3 %
Agricultural Land Use 67 %
Forested Land Use 29 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 73 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 3 meters 		14/20 (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 22.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 2.8 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (2.8 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 7.01
Conductivity 270 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		627.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 10.7264 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 7 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 533
Green Sunfish 49
Golden Shiner 44
Largemouth Bass 14
Creek Chubsucker 2
American Eel 1
Black Crappie 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Common Five-Lined Skink
Common Ribbonsnake
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Northern Watersnake
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog
Southern Ring-Necked Snake

Crayfish:
Orconectes
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Autumn Olive
Common Reed (Phragmites)
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 22
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 14
Paramerina Non-Biting Midge 13
Orthocladiinae Midge 12
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 6
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 5
Stegopterna Black Fly 5
Neoporus 5
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 5
Pseudosuccinea Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 4
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 2
Clinotanypus Non-Biting Midge 1
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Corixidae Water Boatman 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Stagnicola Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Ormosia Cranefly 1
Kiefferulus 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.