MBSS Site Summary for: YOUG-432-S-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-432-S-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-432-S-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 4/26/2007 and again in the summer on 7/25/2007.

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 9,900 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 3.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 21.8 %
Forested Land Use 73.7 %


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 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 55 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 69 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 97 %
Embeddedness 35 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 14.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.25
Conductivity 63 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		148.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.3083 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
Blacknose Dace 2
Longnose Dace 1
White Sucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

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

Crayfish:
Cambarus carinirostris

Exotic Plants:
No Exotic Plants Observed
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 27
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 13
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 10
Prosimulium Black Fly 10
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 5
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 4
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 4
Psychomyia Trumpet-Net Caddisfly 3
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 3
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 3
Epeorus Mayfly 3
Serratella Mayfly 2
Antocha Crane Fly 2
Neophylax Caddisfly 2
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 2
Promoresia Riffle Beetle 2
Tallaperla Roach-Like Stonefly 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 1
Ectopria Water Penny Beetle 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Drunella Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Heleniella European Non-Biting Midge 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Stenacron Mayfly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Blepharicera Net-Winged Midges 1
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 1
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 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.