MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-234-X-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-234-X-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-234-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 3/12/2009 and again in the summer on 6/16/2009.

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 Good - 4.4 / 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 3,747 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 2.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 67.1 %
Forested Land Use 30.3 %


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 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 65 %
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 13 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 1.3 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (1.3 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 7.11
Conductivity 228 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		785.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 6.7004 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 15 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
White Sucker 57
Bluegill 36
Tessellated Darter 35
Fallfish 28
Least Brook Lamprey 21
Creek Chubsucker 18
Redfin Pickerel 16
Redbreast Sunfish 15
Pumpkinseed 10
American Eel 7
Rosyside Dace 3
Eastern Mudminnow 2
Margined Madtom 2
Pirate Perch 2
Black Crappie 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 75
Gammarus Amphipod 4
Neophylax Caddisfly 4
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Hexatoma Crane Fly 2
Haploperla Green Stonefly 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 2
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Paramerina Non-Biting Midge 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 1
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 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.