MBSS Site Summary for: YOUG-432-S-2013

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-432-S-2013-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site YOUG-432-S-2013-MidpointUpstream (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 3/14/2013 and again in the summer on 6/24/2013.

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 Good - 4.5 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.0 / 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 19/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 18/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 19/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 39 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 58 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 10 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.28
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		166.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.0698 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 2 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
White Sucker 4
Rainbow Trout 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Red-Backed Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus carinirostris
Cambarus dubius

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 40
Epeorus Mayfly 22
LEPTOPHLEBIIDAE Pronggilled Mayfly 8
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 5
Diphetor Mayfly 4
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 4
Neophylax Caddisfly 3
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 3
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 3
Oemopteryx Stonefly 3
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Cultus 2
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 2
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 2
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 1
PERLIDAE Common Stonefly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Ephemera Mayfly 1
Stenacron Mayfly 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Pseudorthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Plauditus Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 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.