MBSS Site Summary for: PISC-206-R-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PISC-206-R-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PISC-206-R-2008-2 (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 3/13/2008 and again in the summer on 7/29/2008.

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 Poor - 2.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 9,371 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 58.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 11.9 %
Forested Land Use 28.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 66 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 40 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 10 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 25.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.31
Conductivity 234 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		417.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.0342 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 16 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Longnose Dace 159
Blacknose Dace 129
Spottail Shiner 57
Fallfish 53
Yellow Bullhead 42
Tessellated Darter 26
Spotfin Shiner 17
American Eel 15
Satinfin Shiner 14
Creek Chub 13
Redbreast Sunfish 10
Eastern Mosquitofish 7
Green Sunfish 2
Largemouth Bass 2
Banded Killifish 1
Cutlip Minnow 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Hydrobaenus Midge 67
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 12
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 7
Orthocladiinae Midge 6
Stenelmis Beetle 6
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 5
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 4
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 3
Microcylloepus Riffle Beetle 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Macromia 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 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.