MBSS Site Summary for: GA-A-542-309-97


Located on MUDDY CR in the Youghiogheny River watershed, 8-digit code: 05020201.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/4/1997 and again in the summer on 7/29/1997.

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 Fair - 3.8 / 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 12,092 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 18.4 %
Forested Land Use 69.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat

Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters
15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 40 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:

Water temperature 18 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.51
Conductivity 49 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
45.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.2 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 4 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Creek Chub 23
Blacknose Dace 14
White Sucker 10
Rainbow Trout 5
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 20
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 7
Prosimulium Black Fly 5
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 5
Stenacron Mayfly 4
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 3
Promoresia Riffle Beetle 3
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 3
Lumbriculidae Worm 3
Eurylophella Mayfly 2
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 2
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 2
Anchytarsus Beetle 2
Stenelmis Beetle 2
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Pteronarcys Giant Stonefly 1
Gomphidae Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Epeorus Mayfly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Chironomini Non-Biting Midge 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 1
Ferrissia Small Air-Breathing Freshwater Limpets 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.