MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-128-X-2006


Located on Mill Stream Branch UT5 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 7/27/2006.

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 Fair - 3.0 / 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 668 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 84 %
Forested Land Use 15 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 5/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 55 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 20 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 70 %
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 21.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 5.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.92
Conductivity 218 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		381.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.7628 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 130
Tessellated Darter 56
Redfin Pickerel 8
Golden Shiner 3
Pirate Perch 2
American Eel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Watersnake
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 36
Gammarus Amphipod 29
Amphipoda Scud 22
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 4
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 3
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Stictochironomus Non-Biting Midge 3
Agabus Predatory Aquatic Beetle 3
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 2
Corixidae Water Boatman 2
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Paratendipes European Non-Biting Midge 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Dytiscidae Predaceous Diving Beetle 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Labrundinia Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Gerridae Water Strider 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.