MBSS Site Summary for: PG-N-130-327-97


Located on PISCATAWAY CR 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 8/13/1997.

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 Good - 4.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 36,462 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 23.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 22.9 %
Forested Land Use 49.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 7/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		19/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 50 %
Embeddedness 35 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 25.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 5.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.97
Conductivity 260 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		304 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.7 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 27 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Swallowtail Shiner 140
Spottail Shiner 93
Bluegill 71
Longnose Dace 68
Satinfin Shiner 55
Pumpkinseed 52
Common Shiner 38
Tessellated Darter 32
White Sucker 32
American Eel 26
Green Sunfish 21
Eastern Mosquitofish 20
Brown Bullhead 19
Redbreast Sunfish 14
Creek Chub 12
Blacknose Dace 10
Eastern Mudminnow 9
Cutlip Minnow 7
Eastern Silvery Minnow 7
Largemouth Bass 7
Chain Pickerel 3
Golden Shiner 3
White Perch 3
Creek Chubsucker 2
Banded Killifish 1
Least Brook Lamprey 1
Smallmouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
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
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 22
Sublettea 16
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 11
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 10
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 6
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 6
Oemopteryx Stonefly 5
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 5
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 5
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Naididae Aquatic Worm 4
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 3
Corbicula Basket Clam 3
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 3
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 2
Stenelmis Beetle 2
Gammarus Amphipod 2
Diamesa Bloodworm 2
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Probezzia Biting Midges 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 1
Ancyronyx Spider 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.