MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-238-X-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-238-X-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-238-X-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT 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 6/3/2009.

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 Poor - 1.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 315 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 4 %
Agricultural Land Use 93 %
Forested Land Use 2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 9/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 6/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 62 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 17 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 70 %
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 17.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.78
Conductivity 384 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		901.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.7054 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 3 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 21
American Eel 10
Bluegill 4
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Box Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 49
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 31
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 14
Chironominae Non-Biting Midge 8
Sphaerium Fingernail Clam 4
Agabus Predatory Aquatic Beetle 3
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 3
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Parachaetocladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Paramerina Non-Biting Midge 1
Hydropsychidae Common Netspinner Caddisfly 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 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.