MBSS Site Summary for: ATKI-004-X-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-004-X-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-004-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 - 1.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 90 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 61.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 13.8 %
Forested Land Use 24.9 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 31 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 37 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.1 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.15
Conductivity 844 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		824.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.4444 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
Blue Ridge Sculpin 38
Creek Chub 7
Blacknose Dace 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Dusky Salamander
Northern Red Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Privet
Tree Of Heaven
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 43
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 12
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 7
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 5
Orthocladiinae Midge 5
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
Tipula Crane Fly 4
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydrobius Water Scavenger Beetle 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Aeshna Mosaic Darner Dragonflies 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Nyctiophylax 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Antocha Crane Fly 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.