MBSS Site Summary for: PISC-327-A-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PISC-327-A-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PISC-327-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 3/28/2011 and again in the summer on 7/28/2011.

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 Fair - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 36,471 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 41.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 9.1 %
Forested Land Use 46.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 67 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 8 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.315
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		405.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.1291 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
Bluegill 60
White Sucker 43
American Eel 37
Pumpkinseed 34
Tessellated Darter 24
Redbreast Sunfish 12
Spottail Shiner 11
White Perch 9
Longnose Dace 8
Spotfin Shiner 6
Brown Bullhead 5
Green Sunfish 5
Satinfin Shiner 5
Fallfish 3
Largemouth Bass 3
Sea Lamprey 2
Swallowtail Shiner 2
Yellow Bullhead 2
Creek Chub 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Hydrobaenus Midge 33
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 27
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 7
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 5
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 4
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 3
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 3
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 2
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 2
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Stenelmis Beetle 2
Simulium Black Fly 1
Peltodytes Crawling Water Beetle 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Enallagma Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
DIAMESINAE Non-Biting Midges 1
Fossaria Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Centroptilum Small Minnow Mayfly 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.