MBSS Site Summary for: YOUG-203-A-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-203-A-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-203-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 7/3/2009.

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 - 4.5 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,326 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 13.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 21.2 %
Forested Land Use 62.8 %


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 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 35 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 64 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 15 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 15 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.1 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.26
Conductivity 463 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		234.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.7128 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 1 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 24
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander
Eastern American Toad
Northern Dusky Salamander
Red-Spotted Newt
Seal Salamander
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus dubius

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 40
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 13
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 10
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 7
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 6
Prosimulium Black Fly 6
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 5
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 4
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 3
Pteronarcys Giant Stonefly 3
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 3
Tallaperla Roach-Like Stonefly 2
Microcylloepus Riffle Beetle 2
Ceratopsyche 2
Perlidae Common Stonefly 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Pseudorthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Epeorus Mayfly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Cinygmula Dark Red Quill Mayfly 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Taenionema 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 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.