MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-250-H-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-250-H-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-250-H-2007-2 (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 4/17/2007 and again in the summer on 8/24/2007.

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 - 4.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 4,895 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 1.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 71.1 %
Forested Land Use 25.8 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 7/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 2 meters 		11/20 (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 19.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.94
Conductivity 301 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		400.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 12.0208 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
Green Sunfish 152
Tessellated Darter 144
Eastern Mosquitofish 103
Eastern Mudminnow 65
Creek Chubsucker 57
American Eel 44
Pumpkinseed 40
Redbreast Sunfish 30
Fallfish 27
Least Brook Lamprey 15
Satinfin Shiner 9
White Sucker 4
Pirate Perch 3
Redfin Pickerel 2
Largemouth Bass 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
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus
Procambarus clarkii

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

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 14
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 12
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 9
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 8
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 7
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 6
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 5
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 4
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Helichus Beetle 3
Paratendipes European Non-Biting Midge 2
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 2
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Goniobasis 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 1
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 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.