MBSS Site Summary for: PISC-201-A-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PISC-201-A-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PISC-201-A-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 3/14/2011 and again in the summer on 7/26/2011.

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 Good - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.6 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 9,577 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 44.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 7.2 %
Forested Land Use 44.9 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 61 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 24 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Shading 55 %
Embeddedness 20 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.17
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		424.98 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.1253 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 22 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Green Sunfish 71
Redbreast Sunfish 70
Fallfish 68
Eastern Mosquitofish 67
American Eel 49
Swallowtail Shiner 40
Eastern Mudminnow 35
Tessellated Darter 27
Blacknose Dace 18
Sea Lamprey 17
Satinfin Shiner 15
Longnose Dace 11
Pumpkinseed 11
Creek Chub 9
Yellow Bullhead 9
White Sucker 8
Bluegill 7
Brown Bullhead 5
Margined Madtom 5
Largemouth Bass 3
Least Brook Lamprey 3
Common Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Painted Turtle
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Spring Peeper
Northern Water Snake
Upland Chorus Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 31
Hydrobaenus Midge 26
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 9
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 8
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 6
Stenelmis Beetle 5
Parakiefferiella European Non-Biting Midge 5
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 4
Hyalella Amphipod 4
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 2
Siphlonurus Gray Drake Mayfly 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 1
LUMBRICULIDAE Worm 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
Endochironomus 1
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
COENAGRIONIDAE Narrowwinged Damselfly 1
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Dicrotendipes 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.