MBSS Site Summary for: ATKI-102-X-2012

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-102-X-2012_Mid-pointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-102-X-2012_Mid-pointUpstream (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 4/3/2012 and again in the summer on 6/13/2012.

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 - 1.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 146 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 65.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 18.6 %
Forested Land Use 15.7 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 44 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 41 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 55 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 55%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


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 3 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 157
Creek Chub 109
Blacknose Dace 107
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Dusky Salamander
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Empress Tree
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Tree Of Heaven
Wavyleaf Basketgrass
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 33
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 16
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 14
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 5
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 4
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Limnophyes Non-Biting Midge 3
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 3
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Acentrella Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
PHILOPOTAMIDAE Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
EMPIDIDAE Dance Fly 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.