MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-125-X-2006


Located on Gravel Run in the Corsica River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130507.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/25/2006 and again in the summer on 7/31/2006.

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 - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 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 1,395 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 7 %
Agricultural Land Use 80 %
Forested Land Use 11 %


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 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 61 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 14 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 45 %
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:
Water temperature 29.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.35
Conductivity 254 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1011.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.6678 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 327
Tessellated Darter 291
Creek Chubsucker 58
Banded Killifish 50
American Eel 47
Pumpkinseed 29
Golden Shiner 11
Eastern Mosquitofish 10
Eastern Mudminnow 7
Brown Bullhead 6
Spottail Shiner 5
White Sucker 5
Bluegill 2
Least Brook Lamprey 2
Redfin Pickerel 1
White Perch 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Painted Turtle
Eastern Snapping Turtle

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus
Procambarus acutus acutus
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Chironomus Non-Biting Midges 28
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 11
Gammarus Amphipod 11
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 11
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 6
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 5
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 4
Eurylophella Mayfly 4
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 3
Corixidae Water Boatman 3
Limnodrilus Worm 2
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 2
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 2
Naididae Aquatic Worm 2
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Corduliidae Emerald Dragonfly 1
Cladotanytarsus Non-Biting Midge 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Labrundinia Non-Biting Midges 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Hydroporus Water Beetle 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.