MBSS Site Summary for: PG-N-232-321-97


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 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 Fair - 3.0 / 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 24,815 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 17.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 24.7 %
Forested Land Use 53.5 %


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 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		20/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 45 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.02
Conductivity 145 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		214.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.8 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 18 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 44
American Eel 34
Swallowtail Shiner 32
Longnose Dace 23
Satinfin Shiner 16
Spottail Shiner 13
Blacknose Dace 7
Brown Bullhead 4
Eastern Mudminnow 4
Green Sunfish 4
Common Shiner 3
Pumpkinseed 3
Yellow Bullhead 3
Bluegill 2
Creek Chub 1
Cutlip Minnow 1
Fallfish 1
Redbreast Sunfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 36
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 19
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 13
Lumbriculidae Worm 4
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 2
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Haploperla Green Stonefly 2
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 2
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Amphinemura Spring 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.