MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-106-H-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-106-H-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-106-H-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Three Bridges Branch in the Corsica River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130507.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/18/2007 and again in the summer on 6/27/2007.

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 Good - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.9 / 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 2,123 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 1.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 64.2 %
Forested Land Use 33.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 81 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 23 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 60 %
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 21.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.05
Conductivity 320 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		494.98 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 13.0353 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Green Sunfish 31
American Eel 25
Least Brook Lamprey 22
Eastern Mudminnow 19
Tessellated Darter 16
Fallfish 7
Creek Chubsucker 3
White Sucker 2
Bluegill 1
Pirate Perch 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Fowler's Toad
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 19
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 18
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 9
Prosimulium Black Fly 9
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 7
Calopteryx Damselfly 5
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 4
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 3
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 3
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 2
Hydrobaenus Midge 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Chironomini Non-Biting Midge 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Paratendipes European Non-Biting Midge 1
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 1
Simuliidae Black Fly 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Molophilus 1
Paralauterborniella 1
Saetheria 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Dineutus Whirlygig Beetle 1
Limnodrilus Worm 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.