MBSS Site Summary for: GA-A-453-310-95


Located on NORTH BR CASSELMAN R in the Casselman River watershed, 8-digit code: 05020204.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/7/1995 and again in the summer on 8/17/1995.

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 Good - 4.0 / 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 12,864 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 20.8 %
Forested Land Use 78.5 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 10/20 (Marginal)
Shading 15 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 23.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.11
Conductivity 145 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		276.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1 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 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluntnose Minnow 363
White Sucker 119
Creek Chub 84
Central Stoneroller 37
Rock Bass 28
Blacknose Dace 19
Northern Hogsucker 15
Pumpkinseed 13
River Chub 11
Brown Bullhead 4
Largemouth Bass 2
Brown Trout 1
Golden Shiner 1
Longnose Dace 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander
Long-Tailed 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
Cinygmula Dark Red Quill Mayfly 28
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 28
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 14
Ephemera Mayfly 10
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 9
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 5
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 4
Eurylophella Mayfly 4
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 3
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 3
Antocha Crane Fly 3
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 3
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Epeorus Mayfly 2
Chironomus Non-Biting Midges 2
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Serratella Mayfly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Stictochironomus Non-Biting Midge 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Paraleuctra 1
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Oemopteryx Stonefly 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Centroptilum Small Minnow Mayfly 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.