MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-122-X-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-122-X-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-122-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 3/9/2009 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 - 3.7 / 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 1,720 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 2.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 72.4 %
Forested Land Use 24.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 55 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 24 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 50 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.72
Conductivity 271 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		813.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 8.2222 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 47
Fallfish 45
American Eel 21
Eastern Mudminnow 10
Green Sunfish 6
Pumpkinseed 4
Margined Madtom 3
Pirate Perch 2
Least Brook Lamprey 1
Redfin Pickerel 1
Spottail Shiner 1
White Sucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Canada Thistle
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 28
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 12
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 11
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 9
Hydrobaenus Midge 9
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 6
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 5
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Stegopterna Black Fly 3
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 2
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Labrundinia Non-Biting Midges 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Gammarus Amphipod 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Stylogomphus Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 1
Psephenus Water Penny 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.