MBSS Site Summary for: ATKI-003-X-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-003-X-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-003-X-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT Atkisson Reservoir (Wheel Creek) in the Atkisson Reservoir watershed, 8-digit code: 02130703.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/21/2009 and again in the summer on 7/7/2009.

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 Poor - 2.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 105 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 57.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 14.1 %
Forested Land Use 27.8 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 9/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 50 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 34 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.1 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.98
Conductivity 626 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		668.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.7973 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
Creek Chub 231
Blacknose Dace 97
Blue Ridge Sculpin 89
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Red-Backed Salamander
Northern Green Frog
Northern Red Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 21
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 14
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 9
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 8
Stenelmis Beetle 7
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 6
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Tipula Crane Fly 3
Stygobromus Amphipod 2
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 2
Simulium Black Fly 2
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Empididae Dance Fly 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 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.