MBSS Site Summary for: GA-A-545-301-95


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 8/22/1995.

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 - 3.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.5 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 17,419 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 17.5 %
Forested Land Use 80 %


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 19/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 19/20 (Optimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 20 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.76
Conductivity 105 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		85.7 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 8 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Creek Chub 112
Longnose Dace 16
Blacknose Dace 11
Common Shiner 7
River Chub 7
Northern Hogsucker 3
White Sucker 3
Rock Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

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 29
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 24
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 9
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 8
Haploperla Green Stonefly 7
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 5
Hexatoma Crane Fly 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Epeorus Mayfly 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 2
Cura Flatworm 2
Paragnetina 2
Sphaeromias 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 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.