MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-107-X-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-107-X-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-107-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 3/12/2009 and again in the summer on 6/3/2009.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.4 / 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 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 64 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 12 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 55 %
Embeddedness 45 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.6
Conductivity 333 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1579.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.674 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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Green Sunfish 95
Tessellated Darter 41
American Eel 9
Creek Chubsucker 4
Redfin Pickerel 4
Eastern Mudminnow 3
Least Brook Lamprey 3
Pirate Perch 3
Redbreast Sunfish 3
Largemouth Bass 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Watersnake

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

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
Prosimulium Black Fly 27
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 12
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 8
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 7
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 6
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 3
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 3
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Stegopterna Black Fly 2
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 2
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 1
Ceratopogon Biting Midge 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Leptophlebia Pronggilled Mayfly 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.