MBSS Site Summary for: ATKI-110-R-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-110-R-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-110-R-2008-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on BREAD AND CHEESE BRANCH in the Atkisson Reservoir watershed, 8-digit code: 02130703.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/24/2008 and again in the summer on 7/1/2008.

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 - 4.7 / 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 960 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 23.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 48.9 %
Forested Land Use 26.9 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat

Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 30 meters
8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 49 meters
14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 0 %


Stream Water Quality:

Water temperature 19.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.36
Conductivity 235 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
388.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.5439 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 9 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 185
Blacknose Dace 158
Creek Chub 78
Rosyside Dace 67
Longnose Dace 41
Fallfish 10
White Sucker 3
River Chub 2
Common Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

Eastern American Toad
Northern Green Frog
Northern Ring-Necked Snake
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Wood Frog

Crayfish:

Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:

Autumn Olive
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 30
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 13
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 12
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 10
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 9
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 7
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 4
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 4
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 2
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 2
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Piscicola 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Paratendipes European Non-Biting Midge 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Paracladopelma Non-Biting Midge 1
Chironomus 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.