MBSS Site Summary for: PISC-201-R-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PISC-201-R-2015_Midpoint-facing-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PISC-201-R-2015_Midpoint-facing-upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on BUTLER BRANCH in the Piscataway Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140203.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/23/2015 and again in the summer on 7/23/2015.

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 - 3.0 / 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 874 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 62.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 2.9 %
Forested Land Use 34 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 8/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 6/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 45 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 30 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Shading 40 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.97
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		312.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.3209 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 130
White Sucker 34
Bluegill 22
Pumpkinseed 20
Brown Bullhead 16
Tessellated Darter 16
Creek Chub 10
Eastern Mudminnow 4
Largemouth Bass 1
Least Brook Lamprey 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Fowler's Toad
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 20
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 14
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 9
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 8
Hydrobaenus Midge 8
Orthocladiinae Midge 8
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 6
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 5
Tipula Crane Fly 5
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 3
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 3
Synurella Amphipod 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Ferrissia Small Air-Breathing Freshwater Limpets 1
Isotomidae Springtail 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 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.