MBSS Site Summary for: YOUG-340-A-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-340-A-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-340-A-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Bear Creek in the Youghiogheny River watershed, 8-digit code: 05020201.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/24/2007 and again in the summer on 6/21/2007.

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 - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.3 / 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 5.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 25.4 %
Forested Land Use 68.4 %


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 18/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 58 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 30 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 30 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 14.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.11
Conductivity 123 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		140.015 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.0074 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 6 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
White Sucker 71
Blacknose Dace 43
Longnose Dace 13
Creek Chub 12
Brown Trout 3
Rainbow Trout 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander
Seal Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus carinirostris

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 18
Epeorus Mayfly 13
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 9
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 7
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 6
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 4
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 3
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 3
Perlidae Common Stonefly 3
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Blepharicera Net-Winged Midges 2
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Serratella Mayfly 2
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 2
Atherix 2
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 2
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 2
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 2
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 1
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 1
Pteronarcyidae Giant Stonefly 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Drunella Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Micropsectra 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.