MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-127-X-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-127-X-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-127-X-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT to Corsica River in the Corsica River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130507.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/12/2009 and again in the summer on 6/2/2009.

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 Good - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 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 57 %
Forested Land Use 43 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 7/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 4/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 58 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 16 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 80 %
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 18.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.94
Conductivity 323 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1706.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 5.7239 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 5 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Least Brook Lamprey 9
Tessellated Darter 9
Creek Chubsucker 8
American Eel 6
Eastern Mudminnow 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
Privet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 14
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 13
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 12
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 10
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 10
Stenelmis Beetle 10
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 8
Prosimulium Black Fly 7
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 4
Probezzia Biting Midges 3
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 3
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 2
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 2
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 1
Dineutus Whirlygig Beetle 1
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Ptilostomis Giant Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 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.