MBSS Site Summary for: PISC-201-A-2012

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PISC-201-A-2012-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PISC-201-A-2012-2 (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 3/19/2012 and again in the summer on 6/5/2012.

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 - 1.3 / 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 1,569 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 17.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 14.8 %
Forested Land Use 60.9 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 7/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 7/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 2 meters 		2/20 (Poor)
Shading 20 %
Embeddedness 80 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 80%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.76
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		416.9871 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.637 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 3 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 124
American Eel 1
Green Sunfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Common Ribbonsnake
Eastern Red Spotted Newt
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes

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
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 68
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 12
Caecidotea Isopod 9
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 7
Hydrobaenus Midge 3
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 3
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Agabus Predatory Aquatic Beetle 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
LUMBRICULIDAE Worm 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Paratendipes European Non-Biting Midge 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.