MBSS Site Summary for: YOUG-401-X-2013

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-401-X-2013-25mDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-401-X-2013-25mUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on YOUGHIOGHENY RIVER 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 8/5/2013.

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 Fair - 3.5 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 57,503 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 7.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 23.5 %
Forested Land Use 66.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 23 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 15 %
Embeddedness 80 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 80%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.94
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		202.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.0505 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
Rock Bass 129
River Chub 36
Smallmouth Bass 19
White Sucker 11
Green Sunfish 10
Rainbow Trout 5
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Vinca Vine
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Promoresia Riffle Beetle 21
Ephemera Mayfly 16
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 7
Caenis Mayfly 7
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 6
Micrasema 5
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 4
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 3
Psychomyia Trumpet-Net Caddisfly 3
Psephenus Water Penny 3
Eurylophella Mayfly 3
Prosimulium Black Fly 3
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 2
EPHEMERELLIDAE Spiny Crawler Mayfly 1
LIMNEPHILIDAE Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Limnophyes Non-Biting Midge 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Taenionema 1
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 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.