MBSS Site Summary for: ATKI-006-X-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-006-X-2015_Midpoint-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-006-X-2015_Midpoint-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 4/23/2015 and again in the summer on 6/10/2015.

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 Poor - 2.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.3 / 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 81.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 0 %
Forested Land Use 18.9 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 6/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 5/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 32 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 43 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.41
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1109.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.7086 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 78
Blacknose Dace 15
Blue Ridge Sculpin 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Bamboo
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Tree Of Heaven
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 53
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 18
Stenelmis Beetle 15
Lumbriculidae Worm 6
Orthocladiinae Midge 5
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 4
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 3
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 2
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 2
Helichus Beetle 1
Belostoma 1
Krenosmittia 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 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.