MBSS Site Summary for: YOUG-201-A-2010

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-201-A-2010-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-201-A-2010-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Bear Creek in the Youghiogheny River watershed, 8-digit code: 05020201.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/21/2010 and again in the summer on 6/21/2010.

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.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 4,367 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 5 %
Agricultural Land Use 35.1 %
Forested Land Use 58 %


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 18/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 33 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 55 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 30 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.395
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		189.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.4841 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 3 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
White Sucker 19
Blacknose Dace 7
Creek Chub 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Gartersnake

Crayfish:
Cambaridae
Cambarus carinirostris

Exotic Plants:
No Exotic Plants Observed
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 25
Promoresia Riffle Beetle 12
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 8
Prosimulium Black Fly 8
Epeorus Mayfly 6
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 5
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 5
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 4
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 4
Simulium Black Fly 4
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 4
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 4
Diphetor Mayfly 3
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 3
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 2
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 2
Atherix 2
Pericoma 1
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Drunella Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Psychomyia Trumpet-Net Caddisfly 1
Polycentropodidae Trupetnet And Tubemaking Caddisfly 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.