MBSS Site Summary for: ATKI-006-X-2012

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-006-X-2012_Mid-point_Downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-006-X-2012_Mid-point_Upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on WHEEL CREEK UT in the Atkisson Reservoir watershed, 8-digit code: 02130703.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/3/2012 and again in the summer on 6/11/2012.

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 Fair - 3.0 / 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 57 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 72.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 5.8 %
Forested Land Use 22 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 3/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 45 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 38 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 60 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 60%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
No water quality measurements available for this site.

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 72
Blacknose Dace 46
Blue Ridge Sculpin 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Bamboo
Crown Vetch
Daylily
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Tree Of Heaven
Wineberry
Wisteria
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 28
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 26
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 19
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 8
LUMBRICULIDAE Worm 8
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 6
Limnophyes Non-Biting Midge 4
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 2
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 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.