MBSS Site Summary for: ATKI-101-X-2013

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-101-X-2013-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-101-X-2013-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on WHEEL CREEK in the Atkisson Reservoir watershed, 8-digit code: 02130703.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/20/2013 and again in the summer on 7/10/2013.

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 - 2.0 / 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 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 49 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 47 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.37
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		795.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.2922 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 9 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 169
Creek Chub 69
Blacknose Dace 67
White Sucker 5
Longnose Dace 4
Rosyside Dace 4
Eastern Mosquitofish 2
Bluntnose Minnow 1
Common Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 28
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 22
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 13
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 11
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
Tipula Crane Fly 5
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
DIAMESINAE Non-Biting Midges 3
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 3
Antocha Crane Fly 3
Hydrobaenus Midge 2
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Helichus Beetle 1
Stenelmis Beetle 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.