MBSS Site Summary for: YOUG-213-R-2015


Located on BEAR CREEK in the Youghiogheny River watershed, 8-digit code: 05020201.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/2/2015 and again in the summer on 7/20/2015.

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 Good - 4.5 / 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 4,358 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 5.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 35 %
Forested Land Use 56.9 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 19/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 18/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 37 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 41 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 5 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.22
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		177.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.084 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 18
White Sucker 8
Blacknose Dace 7
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
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 34
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 13
Prosimulium Black Fly 12
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 7
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 5
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 4
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 4
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 3
Promoresia Riffle Beetle 2
Tallaperla Roach-Like Stonefly 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Serratella Mayfly 2
Epeorus Mayfly 2
Ephemera Mayfly 1
Goera 1
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 1
Stenacron Mayfly 1
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Parachaetocladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Diphetor Mayfly 1
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Isoperla Stripetail 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.