MBSS Site Summary for: PG-N-068-125-97


Located on PISCATAWAY CR UT2 in the Piscataway Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140203.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/18/1997 and again in the summer on 6/24/1997.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,672 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 9.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 28.1 %
Forested Land Use 47.9 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 7/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 1/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 5/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality 4/20 (Poor)
Shading 5 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Poor' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 26.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.75
Conductivity 204 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		278.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3 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 13 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Pumpkinseed 285
Golden Shiner 164
Brown Bullhead 131
Creek Chubsucker 115
Eastern Mudminnow 66
Tessellated Darter 24
Bluegill 15
Yellow Bullhead 14
Creek Chub 10
American Eel 7
Rosyside Dace 3
Largemouth Bass 1
Swallowtail Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Painted Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Northern Watersnake

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 32
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 13
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 10
Simuliidae Black Fly 4
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 3
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Sphaerium Fingernail Clam 1
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Gyrinus Whirlygig Beetle 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 1
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 1
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 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.