MBSS Site Summary for: PISC-103-R-2001

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PISC-103-R-2001-22 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PISC-103-R-2001-23 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PISC-103-R-2001-24 (Opens in a new window)

Located on MEETINGHOUSE BR in the Piscataway Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140203.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/20/2001 and again in the summer on 6/26/2001.

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 Poor - 1.9 / 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 789 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 87 %
Agricultural Land Use 3 %
Forested Land Use 9 %


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 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 52 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 33 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 20 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.21
Conductivity 340 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		766.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.6 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 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Green Sunfish 183
Blacknose Dace 143
Creek Chub 21
Pumpkinseed 12
Redbreast Sunfish 7
Creek Chubsucker 6
Tessellated Darter 4
White Sucker 4
American Eel 3
Eastern Mudminnow 2
Golden Shiner 2
Common Shiner 1
Longnose Dace 1
Rosyside Dace 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
English Ivy
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Naididae Aquatic Worm 37
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 7
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 7
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 7
Diamesinae Non-Biting Midges 5
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 4
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 4
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 3
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 2
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Isotomurus Elongate-Bodied Springtail 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 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.