MBSS Site Summary for: ATKI-101-X-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-101-X-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-101-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 7/6/2009.

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 - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 393 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 46.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 19 %
Forested Land Use 34.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 27 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 58 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.7
Conductivity 375 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		722.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.4047 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 8 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 342
Creek Chub 119
Blacknose Dace 87
Rosyside Dace 7
Common Shiner 3
Longnose Dace 3
Eastern Mosquitofish 2
Tessellated Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern American Toad
Northern Dusky Salamander
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Northern Watersnake
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Autumn Olive
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 20
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 14
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 11
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 11
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 7
Antocha Crane Fly 7
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 5
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 5
Acentrella Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 4
Psephenus Water Penny 3
Tipula Crane Fly 3
Empididae Dance Fly 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 1
Smittia European Non-Biting Midge 1
Mesocricotopus 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Hydropsychidae Common Netspinner Caddisfly 1
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 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.