MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-108-X-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-108-X-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-108-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 3/10/2009 and again in the summer on 6/4/2009.

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 - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,967 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 %
Agricultural Land Use 62 %
Forested Land Use 34 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 8/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 52 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 30 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 80 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 80%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.415
Conductivity 329 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1494.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 5.7459 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 46
Fallfish 18
Tessellated Darter 17
American Eel 16
Eastern Mudminnow 4
Golden Shiner 4
Least Brook Lamprey 2
Bluegill 1
Creek Chubsucker 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 27
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 22
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 7
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 7
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 7
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 6
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 5
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Campeloma 2
Goniobasis 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 2
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 2
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Gyrinus Whirlygig Beetle 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 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.