MBSS Site Summary for: YOUG-120-A-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-120-A-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-120-A-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Ginseng Run in the Youghiogheny River watershed, 8-digit code: 05020201.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/19/2009 and again in the summer on 6/10/2009.

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 - 4.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,300 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 6.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 16.8 %
Forested Land Use 75.9 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 45 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 44 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 0 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 14.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.95
Conductivity 174 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		674.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.8198 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 7 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 59
Brown Trout 6
Creek Chub 4
Longnose Dace 2
Northern Hogsucker 2
Rainbow Trout 2
Green Sunfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Slimy Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus carinirostris

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 23
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 12
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 8
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 7
Lumbriculidae Worm 5
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 5
Ceratopsyche 4
Taenionema 4
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 4
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 3
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 3
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 3
Epeorus Mayfly 3
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Neophylax Caddisfly 2
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 2
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Bezzia Biting Midge 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Pseudorthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Haploperla Green Stonefly 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.