MBSS Site Summary for: ATKI-106-R-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-106-R-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-106-R-2008-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on ELBOW BROOK in the Atkisson Reservoir watershed, 8-digit code: 02130703.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/6/2008 and again in the summer on 6/12/2008.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 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 923 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 17.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 50 %
Forested Land Use 32.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 70 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 10 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 5 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 22.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.87
Conductivity 271 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		943.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.562 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluntnose Minnow 132
Blue Ridge Sculpin 100
Blacknose Dace 88
White Sucker 86
Rosyside Dace 64
Creek Chub 63
Fallfish 25
Common Shiner 19
Tessellated Darter 16
Longnose Dace 7
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Red Salamander
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

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

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 20
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 17
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 17
Stenelmis Beetle 6
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Diamesa Bloodworm 4
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 3
Hydrobaenus Midge 3
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 3
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Diamesinae Non-Biting Midges 2
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 2
Centroptilum Small Minnow Mayfly 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Stilocladius Midge 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Microcylloepus Riffle Beetle 1
Optioservus 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.