MBSS Site Summary for: YOUG-303-X-2013

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-303-X-2013-50mDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-303-X-2013-50mUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on SNOWY CREEK in the Youghiogheny River watershed, 8-digit code: 05020201.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/29/2013 and again in the summer on 8/6/2013.

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 - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 22,109 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 9.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 13.8 %
Forested Land Use 74.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 4/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 58 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 27 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 45 %
Embeddedness 75 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 75%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.58
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		127.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.7939 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 7 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Green Sunfish 34
Blacknose Dace 27
River Chub 18
Rock Bass 9
Creek Chub 6
Longnose Dace 6
Smallmouth Bass 4
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 16
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 15
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 15
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 12
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 8
Stenelmis Beetle 5
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Antocha Crane Fly 4
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 4
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 4
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 3
Ephemera Mayfly 3
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 3
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 2
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Psychomyia Trumpet-Net Caddisfly 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Alloperla Stonefly 1
Atherix 1
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 1
Caenis Mayfly 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Stilocladius Midge 1
NEMOURIDAE Nemourid Stonefly 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 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.