MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-116-R-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-116-R-2015_Midpoint-looking-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-116-R-2015_Midpoint-looking-upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on GRAVEL RUN in the Corsica River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130507.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/24/2015 and again in the summer on 7/24/2015.

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 Poor - 2.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,465 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 19.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 69.2 %
Forested Land Use 11.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.6
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		834.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.8022 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 16 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Mummichog 275
Tessellated Darter 94
Redbreast Sunfish 55
Banded Killifish 21
Eastern Mudminnow 18
Spottail Shiner 14
Green Sunfish 11
Pumpkinseed 11
Golden Shiner 8
Creek Chubsucker 6
Eastern Mosquitofish 4
American Eel 3
Bluegill 1
Fathead Minnow 1
Inland Silverside 1
Pirate Perch 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
English Ivy
Japanese Honeysuckle
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Wisteria
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 20
Gammarus Amphipod 18
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 9
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 8
Hydrobaenus Midge 7
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 5
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 4
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 4
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 3
Stilocladius Midge 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Lymnaeidae Pond Snail 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Oecetis Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
Corbicula Basket Clam 1
Clinotanypus Non-Biting Midge 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.