MBSS Site Summary for: QA-N-014-219-95


Located on MILL STREAM BR in the Corsica River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130507.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/30/1995 and again in the summer on 7/21/1995.

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 - 5.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.1 / 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 2,262 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 0.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 62.8 %
Forested Land Use 36.2 %


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 4/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 2/20 (Poor)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 25 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 4.9 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (4.9 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 6.97
Conductivity 224 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		674.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 7 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 15 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Creek Chubsucker 83
Pirate Perch 52
Golden Shiner 41
Redfin Pickerel 33
Eastern Mudminnow 32
Tessellated Darter 22
Bluegill 17
Pumpkinseed 16
American Eel 10
Margined Madtom 6
Fallfish 3
Brown Bullhead 1
Redbreast Sunfish 1
Rosyside Dace 1
White Sucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Gammarus Amphipod 26
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 19
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 9
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 4
Goniobasis 4
Corixidae Water Boatman 3
Labrundinia Non-Biting Midges 2
Gyraulus White Ramshorn Freshwater Snail 2
Stenacron Mayfly 2
Stictochironomus Non-Biting Midge 2
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 2
Sphaerium Fingernail Clam 2
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 2
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Oecetis Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
Caenis Mayfly 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Habrophlebia Prong-Gilled Mayfly 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Ceraclea Scaly-Winged Sedge Caddisfly 1
Dineutus Whirlygig Beetle 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.