MBSS Site Summary for: GA-A-059-216-97


Located on SOUTH BR CASSELMAN R in the Casselman River watershed, 8-digit code: 05020204.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/9/1997 and again in the summer on 8/7/1997.

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 - 5.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 2,655 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 28.7 %
Forested Land Use 70.7 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 13 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.05
Conductivity 165 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		173.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.5 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 2 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 12
Creek Chub 7
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Dusky Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus carinirostris

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 36
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 13
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 11
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 8
Diamesa Bloodworm 5
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 4
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 4
Epeorus Mayfly 3
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 2
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 1
Thienemannimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Haploperla Green Stonefly 1
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 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.