MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-250-H-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-250-H-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-250-H-2009-2 (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 3/9/2009 and again in the summer on 6/25/2009.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.1 / 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 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters
14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 23 meters
16/20 (Optimal)
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.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:

Water temperature 19.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.52
Conductivity 267 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
1025.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 6.6828 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 13 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 173
Tessellated Darter 70
American Eel 65
Green Sunfish 32
Fallfish 28
Redbreast Sunfish 28
Eastern Mosquitofish 17
Largemouth Bass 9
Creek Chubsucker 5
Pumpkinseed 4
Least Brook Lamprey 3
Satinfin Shiner 2
Pirate Perch 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

American Bullfrog
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:

Orconectes limosus
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:

Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Privet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 20
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 13
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 12
Prosimulium Black Fly 9
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 7
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 7
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 5
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 4
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 2
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 2
Leptophlebia Pronggilled Mayfly 2
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 2
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 2
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 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.