MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-213-X-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-213-X-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-213-X-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Three Bridges Branch in the Corsica River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130507.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/9/2009 and again in the summer on 6/1/2009.

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 Fair - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.4 / 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 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 66 meters
11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 21 meters
14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 75 %
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 15.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.43
Conductivity 279 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
1024.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 6.5261 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 9 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 36
American Eel 12
Creek Chubsucker 10
Fallfish 6
Redbreast Sunfish 6
Satinfin Shiner 3
Green Sunfish 2
Eastern Mudminnow 1
Pirate Perch 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:

Orconectes limosus
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:

Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Privet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Hydrobaenus Midge 16
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 12
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 10
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 8
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 4
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 4
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 3
Labrundinia Non-Biting Midges 3
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 3
Gammarus Amphipod 3
Stenelmis Beetle 2
Paramerina Non-Biting Midge 2
Calopteryx Damselfly 2
Oecetis Long-Horned Caddisfly 2
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 2
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 2
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Corduliidae Emerald Dragonfly 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Hydropsychidae Common Netspinner Caddisfly 1
Goniobasis 1
Stagnicola Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 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.