MBSS Site Summary for: ATKI-101-X-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-101-X-2016_Midpoint downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-101-X-2016_Midpoint 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 4/5/2016 and again in the summer on 8/11/2016.

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 - 4.3 / 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 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 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 22 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 60 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 30 %


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 15 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 195
Blacknose Dace 97
Creek Chub 55
Bluntnose Minnow 28
Eastern Mosquitofish 26
White Sucker 16
Rosyside Dace 14
Tessellated Darter 14
Common Shiner 10
Fallfish 5
Largemouth Bass 3
Longnose Dace 2
Pumpkinseed 2
Satinfin Shiner 2
Fathead Minnow 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

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

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 20
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 20
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 16
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 9
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
Acentrella Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 7
Simulium Black Fly 5
Diamesa Bloodworm 5
Chironomini Non-Biting Midge 5
Hydropsychidae Common Netspinner Caddisfly 3
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 3
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 2
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Chironomus Non-Biting Midges 1
Diamesinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 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.