MBSS Site Summary for: PISC-114-B-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PISC-114-B-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PISC-114-B-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Piscataway Creek UT6 in the Piscataway Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140203.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/3/2007 and again in the summer on 7/11/2007.

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 Poor - 1.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 151 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 19 %
Agricultural Land Use 37.5 %
Forested Land Use 39.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 3/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 2/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 2/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 24 meters 		4/20 (Poor)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Poor' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.23
Conductivity 0 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		60.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 5.7017 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 1 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
No Fish Observed 0
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Box Turtle
Eastern Cricket Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Simulium Black Fly 26
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 20
Stegopterna Black Fly 12
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 8
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 4
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 3
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 2
Crangonyx Amphipod 2
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Synurella Amphipod 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Isotomurus Elongate-Bodied Springtail 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 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.