MBSS Site Summary for: YOUG-304-X-2013

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-304-X-2013-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-304-X-2013-MidpointUpstream (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 3/28/2013 and again in the summer on 8/7/2013.

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 - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.5 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 14,761 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 12.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 17.4 %
Forested Land Use 66.5 %


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 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.19
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		247.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.1233 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Rock Bass 59
Creek Chub 28
White Sucker 27
River Chub 26
Green Sunfish 24
Smallmouth Bass 16
Rainbow Trout 13
Brown Trout 6
Blacknose Dace 2
Pumpkinseed 2
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
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 19
Psychomyia Trumpet-Net Caddisfly 9
Neophylax Caddisfly 8
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 7
Prosimulium Black Fly 5
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 5
Ferrissia Small Air-Breathing Freshwater Limpets 5
Promoresia Riffle Beetle 3
Antocha Crane Fly 3
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Ephemera Mayfly 3
Stenacron Mayfly 2
Teloganopsis Mayfly 2
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 2
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Heterocloeon 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Taeniopteryx Winter 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.