MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-109-X-2006


Located on Gravel Run in the Corsica River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130507.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/13/2006 and again in the summer on 7/19/2006.

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 Good - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.1 / 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 961 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 2 %
Agricultural Land Use 84 %
Forested Land Use 12 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 53 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 22 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 40 %
Embeddedness 20 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.7
Conductivity 228 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		928.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.6797 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 8 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 176
Eastern Mudminnow 113
Golden Shiner 54
Least Brook Lamprey 32
Creek Chubsucker 16
American Eel 8
Fallfish 8
Pirate Perch 6
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

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

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 37
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 16
Paratendipes European Non-Biting Midge 13
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 10
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 7
Orthocladiinae Midge 7
Eurylophella Mayfly 6
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 5
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 5
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 2
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Musculium Fingernail Clam 2
Naididae Aquatic Worm 2
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Dytiscidae Predaceous Diving Beetle 1
Dromogomphus Spinylegs Dragonfly 1
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 1
Corixidae Water Boatman 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.