MBSS Site Summary for: YOUG-345-A-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-345-A-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-345-A-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Buffalo Run 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 6/25/2007.

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 - 4.0 / 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 11,662 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 8 %
Agricultural Land Use 21.9 %
Forested Land Use 69.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 51 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 65 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 30 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 15.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 12.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.28
Conductivity 220 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		214.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.0103 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 4 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 34
Longnose Dace 20
Creek Chub 3
Bluntnose Minnow 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander
Long-Tailed Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Seal Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus carinirostris

Exotic Plants:
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 17
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 14
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 10
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 9
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 8
Cinygmula Dark Red Quill Mayfly 7
Blepharicera Net-Winged Midges 6
Epeorus Mayfly 5
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 5
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 4
Drunella Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 3
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Hexatoma Crane Fly 2
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 2
Serratella Mayfly 1
Psychomyia Trumpet-Net Caddisfly 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 1
Tipulidae Cranefly 1
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Pteronarcys Giant Stonefly 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 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.