MBSS Site Summary for: ATKI-105-X-2013

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-105-X-2013-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-105-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 Poor - 2.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 107 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 62.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 19.9 %
Forested Land Use 17.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 8/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 7/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 60 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 20 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Shading 40 %
Embeddedness 65 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 65%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.31
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1060.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.4739 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 2 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 125
Creek Chub 92
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 80
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 12
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 9
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 3
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Limnophyes Non-Biting Midge 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
LUMBRICULIDAE Worm 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 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.