MBSS Site Summary for: ATKI-101-X-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-101-X-2015_Midpoint-looking-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-101-X-2015_Midpoint-looking-upstream (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 4/22/2015 and again in the summer on 9/2/2015.

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 Fair - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 393 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 67.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 5 %
Forested Land Use 23.7 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 9/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 49 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 37 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 20 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.57
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		814.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.2059 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 12 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 85
Bluntnose Minnow 77
Creek Chub 72
Blue Ridge Sculpin 55
White Sucker 48
Tessellated Darter 19
Fallfish 18
Longnose Dace 6
Common Shiner 5
Rosyside Dace 2
Eastern Mosquitofish 1
Swallowtail Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog
Queen Snake

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 27
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 25
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 23
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 14
Acentrella Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 10
Diamesa Bloodworm 4
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 3
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Sublettea 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Oulimnius Riffle 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.