MBSS Site Summary for: YOUG-101-X-2015


Located on SAND SPRING RUN in the Youghiogheny River watershed, 8-digit code: 05020201.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/21/2015 and again in the summer on 6/23/2015.

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 491 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 0 %
Forested Land Use 98.9 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 19/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 48 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 27 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 35 %
Embeddedness 85 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 85%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.06
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		151.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.9448 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 2 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 27
Creek Chub 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Spring Peeper

Crayfish:
Cambarus
Cambarus carinirostris

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 28
Tallaperla Roach-Like Stonefly 8
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 8
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 6
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 5
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 5
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 4
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 2
Pteronarcys Giant Stonefly 2
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 2
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 1
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 1
Hydrobius Water Scavenger Beetle 1
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 1
Limnophyes Non-Biting Midge 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Brundiniella 1
Helius 1
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Ormosia Cranefly 1
Chrysops Deerfly 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.