MBSS Site Summary for: PISC-113-R-2001

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PISC-113-R-2001-5 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PISC-113-R-2001-6 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PISC-113-R-2001-7 (Opens in a new window)

Located on PAYNES BR in the Piscataway Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140203.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/19/2001 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 - 3.7 / 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 734 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 82 %
Agricultural Land Use 5 %
Forested Land Use 12 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 40 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 40 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 16 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.1 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.91
Conductivity 270 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		441.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.1 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
Green Sunfish 139
Blacknose Dace 86
Creek Chub 13
Creek Chubsucker 8
Redbreast Sunfish 8
Tessellated Darter 8
Eastern Mudminnow 7
Rosyside Dace 7
American Eel 6
Swallowtail Shiner 4
Common Shiner 2
White Sucker 2
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

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

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 26
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 15
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 9
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 6
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 6
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 6
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 4
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 4
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 4
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Calopteryx Damselfly 3
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 2
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Enallagma Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Piscicola 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 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.