MBSS Site Summary for: YOUG-206-X-2015


Located on BUFFALO RUN in the Youghiogheny River watershed, 8-digit code: 05020201.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/16/2015 and again in the summer on 7/13/2015.

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 Fair - 3.0 / 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 3,009 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 8.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 24.2 %
Forested Land Use 66.8 %


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 18/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 22 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 64 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 25 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.32
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		224.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.6354 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
Creek Chub 49
Blacknose Dace 22
White Sucker 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Red Spotted Newt
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus
Cambarus carinirostris

Exotic Plants:
Multiflora Rose
Shrub Honeysuckle
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 14
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 10
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 8
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 7
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 6
Epeorus Mayfly 6
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 6
Diamesa Bloodworm 5
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 4
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 4
Empididae Dance Fly 3
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 3
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 3
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 3
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 2
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 2
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 2
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Hydroptilidae Micro Caddisfly 1
Haploperla Green Stonefly 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Tallaperla Roach-Like Stonefly 1
Limnophyes Non-Biting Midge 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Perlodidae Perlodid 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.