MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-110-X-2006


Located on Mill Stream Branch UT2 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 7/24/2006.

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 - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.9 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 691 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 6 %
Agricultural Land Use 69 %
Forested Land Use 23 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 18/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 35 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 40 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.2
Conductivity 309 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		774.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.352 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 12 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 186
American Eel 39
Rosyside Dace 24
Eastern Mudminnow 22
Green Sunfish 11
Least Brook Lamprey 9
Creek Chubsucker 4
Fallfish 3
Redfin Pickerel 3
Bluegill 2
Largemouth Bass 1
Pirate Perch 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Northern Watersnake

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 31
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 20
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 11
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 9
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 7
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 7
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 5
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Stenelmis Beetle 3
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Simuliidae Black Fly 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Paratendipes European Non-Biting Midge 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Endochironomus 1
Limnephilus 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Lepidoptera Aquatic Moth 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Crangonyctidae Scud 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.