MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-127-X-2006


Located on Corsica River UT1 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 Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 637 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 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 58 %
Forested Land Use 46 %


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 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 59 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 16 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 70 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 70%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 23.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.58
Conductivity 327 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1699.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 6.4194 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 6 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 68
Tessellated Darter 48
Least Brook Lamprey 17
American Eel 8
Creek Chubsucker 2
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Red-Backed Salamander
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

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 20
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 18
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 15
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 9
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 8
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 8
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 7
Simulium Black Fly 4
Diamesa Bloodworm 4
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 3
Paratendipes European Non-Biting Midge 3
Stenelmis Beetle 2
Calopteryx Damselfly 2
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 2
Empididae Dance Fly 1
Labrundinia Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 1
Paralauterborniella 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Musculium Fingernail Clam 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 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.