MBSS Site Summary for: YOUG-123-A-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-123-A-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-123-A-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Puzzley Run in the Youghiogheny River watershed, 8-digit code: 05020201.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/18/2009 and again in the summer on 6/23/2009.

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 Poor - 2.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.5 / 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 1,221 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 21.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 20.6 %
Forested Land Use 54.2 %


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 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 47 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 57 meters 		19/20 (Optimal)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 10 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.03
Conductivity 571 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		217.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.71 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
Blacknose Dace 56
Creek Chub 21
Rainbow Trout 4
White Sucker 4
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander
Northern Dusky Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus carinirostris

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Knotweed
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 67
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 13
Ceratopsyche 9
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 6
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 4
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 4
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 3
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 3
Taenionema 2
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Anchytarsus Beetle 1
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Micrasema 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.