MBSS Site Summary for: YOUG-432-S-2012

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-432-S-2012_Mid-point_P_Downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-432-S-2012_Mid-point_P_Upstream (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 3/29/2012 and again in the summer on 7/4/2012.

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 - 4.5 / 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 5,707 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 4.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 27.6 %
Forested Land Use 66.8 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 43 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 52 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 20 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.31
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		164.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.1626 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 1 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
White Sucker 6
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Northern Slimy Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus carinirostris
Cambarus dubius

Exotic Plants:
No Exotic Plants Observed
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Epeorus Mayfly 18
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 13
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 9
LEPTOPHLEBIIDAE Pronggilled Mayfly 8
Prosimulium Black Fly 5
Cinygmula Dark Red Quill Mayfly 5
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 3
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 3
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 3
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Sweltsa Stonefly 3
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 3
PERLODIDAE Perlodid Stonefly 3
Ectopria Water Penny Beetle 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Blepharicera Net-Winged Midges 2
Tallaperla Roach-Like Stonefly 2
CHLOROPERLIDAE Green Stonefly 2
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 2
Diphetor Mayfly 2
Neophylax Caddisfly 2
HYDROPSYCHIDAE Common Netspinner Caddisfly 2
Rhithrogena 2
Yugus 1
Atherix 1
Goera 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Drunella Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Teloganopsis Mayfly 1
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 1
LEUCTRIDAE Rolledwinged Stonefly 1
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker 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.