MBSS Site Summary for: YOUG-323-R-2015


Located on HERRINGTON CREEK 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 8/5/2015.

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 - 4.0 / 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 7,953 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 5 %
Agricultural Land Use 4.8 %
Forested Land Use 88.9 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 9/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 67 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 12 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Shading 35 %
Embeddedness 65 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 65%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.27
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		28.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.5397 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 4
River Chub 2
Smallmouth Bass 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Gartersnake
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus
Cambarus carinirostris

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 39
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 12
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 9
Stenelmis Beetle 5
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 4
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 3
Gomphus Clubtail Dragonfly 3
Hexatoma Crane Fly 3
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 3
Heterotrissocladius European Non-Biting Midge 2
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 2
Haploperla Green Stonefly 2
Apsectrotanypus Non-Biting Midges 2
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 2
Promoresia Riffle Beetle 2
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Stenacron Mayfly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Psilotreta Mortarjoint Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Heleniella European Non-Biting Midge 1
Sialis Alderfly 1
Molanna 1
Paralauterborniella 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.