MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-213-X-2006


Located on Three Bridges Branch 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 7/31/2006.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.9 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 5,510 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 2 %
Agricultural Land Use 72 %
Forested Land Use 25 %


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 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 37 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 38 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
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 24 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.48
Conductivity 270 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1340.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.4132 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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 185
American Eel 46
Eastern Mudminnow 20
Bluegill 15
Least Brook Lamprey 10
Satinfin Shiner 6
Redbreast Sunfish 5
Eastern Mosquitofish 4
Creek Chubsucker 3
Mummichog 1
Redfin Pickerel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Painted Turtle
Fowler's Toad
Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 26
Orthocladiinae Midge 21
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 17
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 6
Amphipoda Scud 6
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 5
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Paracladopelma Non-Biting Midge 2
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 2
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 2
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Dineutus Whirlygig Beetle 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Gammarus Amphipod 1
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 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.