MBSS Site Summary for: GA-A-236-216-95


Located on BIG SHADE RUN in the Casselman River watershed, 8-digit code: 05020204.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/6/1995 and again in the summer on 8/1/1995.

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 Fair - 3.5 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,652 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 25.9 %
Forested Land Use 73.8 %


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 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 0 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.97
Conductivity 170 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		197.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0 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
Creek Chub 27
Longnose Dace 26
Blacknose Dace 12
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 24
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 15
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 6
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Haploperla Green Stonefly 5
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Cardiocladius Non-Biting Midge 4
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 4
Neophylax Caddisfly 3
Heleniella European Non-Biting Midge 3
Epeorus Mayfly 3
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 2
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 2
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 1
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living 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.