MBSS Site Summary for: PISC-202-X-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PISC-202-X-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PISC-202-X-2011-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on TINKER'S CREEK in the Piscataway Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140203.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/16/2011 and again in the summer on 7/25/2011.

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 - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 3,401 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 87.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 0.3 %
Forested Land Use 12.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 69 meters 		20/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 6 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 20 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.875
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		469.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 6.397 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 19 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 23
Creek Chub 23
Common Shiner 17
Longnose Dace 17
American Eel 16
Swallowtail Shiner 15
Pumpkinseed 14
Redbreast Sunfish 13
Fallfish 12
Tessellated Darter 11
White Sucker 10
Bluegill 8
Creek Chubsucker 8
Satinfin Shiner 7
Eastern Mudminnow 5
Cutlip Minnow 1
Eastern Mosquitofish 1
Rosyside Dace 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 66
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 13
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 12
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 9
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 4
Enallagma Narrow-Winged Damselfly 4
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 3
LUMBRICULIDAE Worm 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 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.