MBSS Site Summary for: PISC-101-X-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PISC-101-X-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PISC-101-X-2011-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on PISCATAWAY CREEK in the Piscataway Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140203.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/28/2011 and again in the summer on 8/9/2011.

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 - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.9 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,711 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 72.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 1.2 %
Forested Land Use 21.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 59 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 16 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 25 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.27
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		689.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.9764 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Creek Chub 5
Redbreast Sunfish 4
American Eel 3
Bluegill 2
Pumpkinseed 2
Eastern Mosquitofish 1
Green Sunfish 1
Satinfin Shiner 1
Sea Lamprey 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Hydrobaenus Midge 53
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 10
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 8
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 8
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 6
Orthocladiinae Midge 5
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 5
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 4
Cladotanytarsus Non-Biting Midge 2
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 2
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 2
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 2
Neoporous Predaceous Diving Beetle 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Centroptilum Small Minnow Mayfly 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
TANYTARSINI Non-Biting Midges 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
Paratendipes European Non-Biting Midge 1
Enallagma Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Labrundinia Non-Biting Midges 1
Haliplus 1
Polypedilum 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.