Bringing Back Mussels: CERC's Restoration Efforts in the Clinton Watershed Active
CERC scientists plan to reintroduce mussels in an area where species have diminished.
By Olivia Watt
Columbia Environmental Research Center scientists are working to reintroduce thousands of freshwater mussels into the Clinton River watershed in Michigan, an area where mussel populations have dwindled. Allison Sieja, a biologist at CERC, is part of this team.
“Historically, the Clinton watershed was home to around 30 mussel species. By 2004, that number had declined to about 14 species,” Sieja explained, “So, that’s a big reduction in diversity and the numbers of mussels inhabiting the watershed.”
As unassuming as they may seem, freshwater mussels are key players in the overall wellbeing of their environments. “Mussels play an important role in the ecosystem. They’re kind of like nature’s water filter—they’re the livers of the river,” Sieja said.
Mussels obtain food by siphoning water through their bodies. While filtering, the mussels pull algae, bacteria (like E. coli), and other matter from the water column and deposit it into the sediment, home of aquatic invertebrates and other organisms. Mussels provide these creatures with nutrients they would have very limited access to otherwise. In this way, mussels function as the basis of the food web in many waterbodies. Purifying water and depositing nutrients are abilities known as ecosystem services.
“When mussels disappear from a stream, there’s also a loss of the ecosystem services they provide. We are hoping to reintroduce mussels back into the Clinton watershed not only to increase mussel populations but also to restore these lost ecosystem services,” said Sieja.
Before the mussels can be reintroduced, the most promising streams had to be identified.
In the summer of 2023, mussel silos were deployed at potential restoration sites. “A mussel silo is essentially a concrete bunker that houses mussels on the bottom of a stream,” explained Sieja, “We put the silos out at five sites to see how much the mussels would grow at each potential reintroduction site.” At each site, four silos housing 10 mussels were deployed from July to October 2023.
Sensors that measure various water quality parameters every five minutes (including conductivity, dissolved oxygen, temperature and water level) were deployed along with the silos. The information gained from these sensors allows scientists to investigate correlations between water quality and mussel survival and growth. At the end of the deployment period, the mussels and water quality were evaluated, and the most promising reintroduction sites were identified.
Now that the preliminary research is complete, CERC scientists plan to reintroduce approximately 5,000 mussels during the summer of 2024. Right now, the mussels that will be reintroduced are being raised with care at the Columbia Environmental Research Center.
Partnering:
USGS-CERC is partnering with the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative for this project.
Return to Fish and Invertebrate Toxicology
New Technology to Support Culturing of Freshwater Mussels for Research and Restoration
CERC scientists plan to reintroduce mussels in an area where species have diminished.
By Olivia Watt
Columbia Environmental Research Center scientists are working to reintroduce thousands of freshwater mussels into the Clinton River watershed in Michigan, an area where mussel populations have dwindled. Allison Sieja, a biologist at CERC, is part of this team.
“Historically, the Clinton watershed was home to around 30 mussel species. By 2004, that number had declined to about 14 species,” Sieja explained, “So, that’s a big reduction in diversity and the numbers of mussels inhabiting the watershed.”
As unassuming as they may seem, freshwater mussels are key players in the overall wellbeing of their environments. “Mussels play an important role in the ecosystem. They’re kind of like nature’s water filter—they’re the livers of the river,” Sieja said.
Mussels obtain food by siphoning water through their bodies. While filtering, the mussels pull algae, bacteria (like E. coli), and other matter from the water column and deposit it into the sediment, home of aquatic invertebrates and other organisms. Mussels provide these creatures with nutrients they would have very limited access to otherwise. In this way, mussels function as the basis of the food web in many waterbodies. Purifying water and depositing nutrients are abilities known as ecosystem services.
“When mussels disappear from a stream, there’s also a loss of the ecosystem services they provide. We are hoping to reintroduce mussels back into the Clinton watershed not only to increase mussel populations but also to restore these lost ecosystem services,” said Sieja.
Before the mussels can be reintroduced, the most promising streams had to be identified.
In the summer of 2023, mussel silos were deployed at potential restoration sites. “A mussel silo is essentially a concrete bunker that houses mussels on the bottom of a stream,” explained Sieja, “We put the silos out at five sites to see how much the mussels would grow at each potential reintroduction site.” At each site, four silos housing 10 mussels were deployed from July to October 2023.
Sensors that measure various water quality parameters every five minutes (including conductivity, dissolved oxygen, temperature and water level) were deployed along with the silos. The information gained from these sensors allows scientists to investigate correlations between water quality and mussel survival and growth. At the end of the deployment period, the mussels and water quality were evaluated, and the most promising reintroduction sites were identified.
Now that the preliminary research is complete, CERC scientists plan to reintroduce approximately 5,000 mussels during the summer of 2024. Right now, the mussels that will be reintroduced are being raised with care at the Columbia Environmental Research Center.
Partnering:
USGS-CERC is partnering with the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative for this project.
Return to Fish and Invertebrate Toxicology