MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-215-X-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-215-X-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-215-X-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Mill Stream Branch in the Corsica River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130507.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/11/2009 and again in the summer on 6/23/2009.

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 - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 6,763 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 2.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 75.2 %
Forested Land Use 22 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 6 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 35 %
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 20.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.5
Conductivity 224 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		856.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 5.4144 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 20 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 57
Fallfish 31
White Sucker 17
Least Brook Lamprey 15
American Eel 13
Creek Chubsucker 13
Bluegill 8
Eastern Mudminnow 8
Gizzard Shad 7
Golden Shiner 6
Rosyside Dace 6
Green Sunfish 5
Redfin Pickerel 5
Redbreast Sunfish 4
Pumpkinseed 3
Margined Madtom 2
Black Crappie 1
Brown Bullhead 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Sea Lamprey 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Common Reed (Phragmites)
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 10
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 9
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 7
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 7
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 6
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 5
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 5
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 5
Paramerina Non-Biting Midge 5
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 5
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 4
Paralauterborniella 3
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 3
Hydrobaenus Midge 2
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Xylotopus Midge 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Tipulidae Cranefly 1
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Labrundinia Non-Biting Midges 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Crangonyctidae Scud 1
Corixidae Water Boatman 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.