MBSS Site Summary for: YOUG-106-D-2012

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-106-D-2012-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-106-D-2012-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on SALT BLOCK RUN in the Youghiogheny River watershed, 8-digit code: 05020201.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/13/2012 and again in the summer on 7/18/2012.

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 Poor - 2.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.5 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,689 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 3.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 10.8 %
Forested Land Use 79 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 5/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 5/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		1/20 (Poor)
Shading 10 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Poor' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.9
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		261.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.0366 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 5 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Creek Chub 69
White Sucker 65
Pumpkinseed 53
Blacknose Dace 2
Largemouth Bass 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Red Spotted Newt
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Northern Water Snake
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No Exotic Plants Observed
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Hyalella Amphipod 39
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 11
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 7
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 6
Paramerina Non-Biting Midge 5
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 5
Clinotanypus Non-Biting Midge 4
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 4
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 3
COENAGRIONIDAE Narrowwinged Damselfly 3
Platycentropus 3
Leptophlebia Pronggilled Mayfly 3
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 3
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 3
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Limnephilus 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Centroptilum Small Minnow Mayfly 1
LEPTOPHLEBIIDAE Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 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.