MBSS Site Summary for: CORS-250-H-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-250-H-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CORS-250-H-2011-2 (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 3/23/2011 and again in the summer on 6/6/2011.

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 - 4.1 / 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 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 16 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 45 %
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:
pH (lab) 7.47
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		922.969 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 9.2089 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 12 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 164
Eastern Mudminnow 112
Green Sunfish 103
American Eel 100
Creek Chubsucker 92
Fallfish 44
Redbreast Sunfish 19
White Sucker 8
Least Brook Lamprey 7
Golden Shiner 6
Eastern Mosquitofish 1
Redfin Pickerel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Northern Water Snake
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 25
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 15
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 14
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 8
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 8
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 7
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 7
Prosimulium Black Fly 7
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 5
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 2
Simulium Black Fly 2
Diamesa Bloodworm 2
Goniobasis 2
PISIDIIDAE Pill Clam 2
Progomphus 1
Synurella Amphipod 1
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
Helichus Beetle 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
TANYTARSINI Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus 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.