MBSS Site Summary for: GA-A-310-318-97


Located on NORTH BR CASSELMAN R in the Casselman River watershed, 8-digit code: 05020204.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/3/1997 and again in the summer on 7/21/1997.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 14,340 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 18.5 %
Forested Land Use 79.7 %


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 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 20 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.74
Conductivity 115 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		65 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.4 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 8 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Longnose Dace 27
Creek Chub 19
River Chub 7
White Sucker 7
Blacknose Dace 6
Brown Trout 1
Northern Hogsucker 1
Rock Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
Cambarus

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
Naididae Aquatic Worm 8
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 7
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 6
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 4
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 4
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 3
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 3
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 2
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 2
Caecidotea Isopod 2
Epeorus Mayfly 2
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 1
Tallaperla Roach-Like Stonefly 1
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 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.