MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-106-X-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-106-X-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-106-X-2009-2 (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 3/9/2009 and again in the summer on 6/15/2009.

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 - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 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 2,250 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 66.1 %
Forested Land Use 31.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 55 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 28 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 80 %
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 18.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.76
Conductivity 336 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1327.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 9.9409 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
American Eel 41
Tessellated Darter 39
Green Sunfish 23
Eastern Mudminnow 16
Least Brook Lamprey 5
Fallfish 4
Pirate Perch 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Fowler's Toad
Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Privet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 43
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 16
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 13
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 10
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 8
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 2
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Gordiidae Horsehair Worm 2
Stictochironomus Non-Biting Midge 2
Labrundinia Non-Biting Midges 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Tipulidae Cranefly 1
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 1
Polypedilum 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.