MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-107-X-2006


Located on Three Bridges Branch in the Corsica River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130507.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/6/2006 and again in the summer on 7/25/2006.

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 - 3.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,670 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 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 61 %
Forested Land Use 37 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 63 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 12 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 40 %
Embeddedness 35 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.52
Conductivity 304 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1706.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.1841 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 5 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Golden Shiner 25
Eastern Mudminnow 9
Redfin Pickerel 4
Least Brook Lamprey 3
American Eel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Watersnake

Crayfish:
Procambarus acutus acutus

Exotic Plants:
Canada Thistle
Common Reed (Phragmites)
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 34
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 21
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 9
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 8
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 8
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 3
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 2
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 2
Goniobasis 1
Chironomini Non-Biting Midge 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Simuliidae Black Fly 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Xylotopus Midge 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 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.