MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-237-X-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-237-X-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-237-X-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT 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 6/2/2009.

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 - 3.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 228 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 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 75.5 %
Forested Land Use 24 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 7/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 62 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 20 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 15.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.11
Conductivity 223 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		818.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.3184 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 29
American Eel 15
Tessellated Darter 14
Creek Chubsucker 2
Redbreast Sunfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Common Five-Lined Skink
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
Privet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 24
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 22
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 16
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 11
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 10
Simulium Black Fly 9
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 7
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Diamesa Bloodworm 4
Stegopterna Black Fly 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 3
Leptophlebia Pronggilled Mayfly 2
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 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.