MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-138-X-2006


Located on Mill Stream Branch UT4 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 7/20/2006.

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 Poor - 2.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 315 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 4 %
Agricultural Land Use 93 %
Forested Land Use 2 %


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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 5/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 55 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 20 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 50 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.06
Conductivity 370 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		741.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.86 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
Eastern Mudminnow 13
Bluegill 7
American Eel 6
Creek Chubsucker 2
Golden Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 131
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 11
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 10
Agabus Predatory Aquatic Beetle 7
Dytiscidae Predaceous Diving Beetle 6
Simulium Black Fly 6
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 3
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 1
Paracladopelma Non-Biting Midge 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 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.