MBSS Site Summary for: ATKI-303-R-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-303-R-2016_midpoint downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ATKI-303-R-2016_midpoint upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Winters Run in the Atkisson Reservoir watershed, 8-digit code: 02130703.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/10/2016 and again in the summer on 8/1/2016.

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 - 3.3 / 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 12,619 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 16.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 43.7 %
Forested Land Use 36.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat

Instream Habitat 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 60 meters
13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 40 meters
16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 20 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:

pH (lab) 7.57
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
335.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.0071 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 16 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 567
Longnose Dace 164
White Sucker 119
Blacknose Dace 118
Creek Chub 99
Fallfish 34
Tessellated Darter 28
Rosyside Dace 26
River Chub 23
Cutlip Minnow 16
Northern Hogsucker 11
Bluntnose Minnow 8
Smallmouth Bass 4
Swallowtail Shiner 3
Margined Madtom 1
Redbreast Sunfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:

No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:

Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Privet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Antocha Crane Fly 29
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 21
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 16
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 10
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 8
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 7
Ferrissia Small Air-Breathing Freshwater Limpets 3
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 2
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 1
Capniidae Small Winter Stonefly 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Tipulidae Cranefly 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Gammarus Amphipod 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 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.