MBSS Site Summary for: ATKI-105-X-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-105-X-2015_Midpoint-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-105-X-2015_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 4/23/2015 and again in the summer on 7/20/2015.

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 - 3.7 / 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 107 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 77.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 0 %
Forested Land Use 16.1 %


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 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 53 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 22 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 64 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 64%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.16
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1081.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.1337 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 3 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 166
Creek Chub 152
Blue Ridge Sculpin 3
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Tree Of Heaven
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 20
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 18
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 18
Stenelmis Beetle 15
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 10
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 8
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 4
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 3
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 3
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 2
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Empididae Dance Fly 1
Cryptochironomus 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.