# Presentation: 188857

## Duck River Mussel Recovery Plan

**Duck River**** ****Agency**
**Tennessee Aquarium Research Institute**
**The Nature Conservancy’s Duck River Field Office**
**TTU CO-OP Fish Unit**
**TWRA**
**TVA**
**USFWS – Ashville & Cookeville **
**USGS – BRD &WRD**
**VT CO-OP Fish Unit**

## Why the Duck River?

- Flows ~300 miles westerly across Eastern Highland Rim, Nashville Basin and Western Highland Rim in TN, draining 3,127 miles2.
- Normandy Reservoir is 17 miles long with the dam located at ~ mile 250.
- 6 of 25 mill dams remain intact.
- Extant Biological Diversity > 500 aquatic sp. including: 140 fish sp., 55 mussel sp., 22 snail sp.
- As many as 74 mussel species historically occurred in the Duck River.

## 2004 Survey Report

- Study Objectives
- 1) Qualitative mussel survey of the main stem & selected tributaries.
- 2) Quantitative re-survey at TVA 1979 & 1988 sites.
- 3) Assemble historical database to examine species distribution and composition changes since 1880’s.
- 4) Examine river management alterations that may + or – affect mussel populations.

## 2004 Survey Report

- Field surveys conducted 2000-03.
- 112 qualitative sites, including SCUBA, or Hookah search of some pools.
- Mean CPUE for species richness and density determined across 21 sites common to 1988 and 2004 studies.

## 2004 Survey Report

- 4 fixed-station quantitative sites selected for long term monitoring.
- Tarpley Bluff, DRM207.3
- Lillard Mill, DRM179
- Venable Spring, DRM176.8
- Hooper Island, DRM163.1

## 2004 Survey Report Results

- Qualitative survey mean CPUE #s & species richness indicated significant (4 fold) increases since 1988.
- Quantitative data indicates > 15% increase in density and species richness for all sites.

**So how did the river measure up?**

## 2004 Survey Report Results

- Juvenile mussel distribution study at Hooper Island - Id importance of channel margins as juvenile mussel habitat.
- TVA’s RRI at Normandy Dam increased habitat available for mussel colonization & demonstrates possibilities for other tail waters.

**Juveniles were abundant at many sites!**

**Like the Elk?**

## 2004 Survey Report Results

- 53 mussel species documented extant + 2 more added since 2004 study = 55.
- TVA added Sheepnose (*Plethobasus cyphus*)*.*
- Auburn Univ. added Salamander Mussel (*Simpsonaias ambugia*).
- 74 mussel species were found in Duck River historical records including 16 federally listed T&E mussel species, 6 presumed extinct.

## Take Home Message

**“****Recovery of mussel resources in the Duck River as reported here is unprecedented.  We are aware of no other river system that has shown this dramatic improvement in mussel resources.”**
**Populations are surging and it is time to act.**

## Duck River Mussel Augmentation & Reintroduction Plan

- Includes prioritizations, status reviews, and recommendations for 74 mussel species.
- Proposed actions include:
- a) maintain expanding populations of 3 federally listed mussels (*Epioblasma sp. cf. capsaeformis, Lemiox rimosus, & Quadrula intermedia*).
- b) augment populations of non-listed mussels.
- c) reintroduce  11 extirpated listed mussel species.

## Duck River Mussel Augmentation & Reintroduction Plan

- These proposed actions for federally listed mussels are: consistent with the purposes of the 1973 ESA, and are identified as specific tasks in the USFWS’s species recovery plans.
- Establishing new populations in historical habitats like the Duck River are a major hurdle toward recovery and delisting.

## Duck River Mussel Augmentation & Reintroduction Plan

**Objective**: maintain  current mussel habitat & improve mussels resources by active management.
**Habitat **:  accomplished through continuation of **TVA’s** **RRI **program.
-  Improvements to Shelbyville WWTP & other point sources in system.
**TNC projects ** protect WQ & restore the riparian corridor along river main stem & tributaries like Big Rock Creek.
**TWRA & TNC ** have been active in the watershed with the **LIP** program.

## Duck River Mussel Augmentation & Reintroduction Plan

**Mussel resources: **improvements will be achieved via species reintroductions & augmentations utilizing juvenile propagation and adult translocations.
- Federally listed reintroduced species will be placed only in habitats with extant populations of other federally listed mussels to avoid additional regulatory burden.

## Duck River Mussel Augmentation & Reintroduction Plan

**Genetic Integrity **will be protected by following basic procedures:
- Use _>_10 females  during propagation where possible.
- Use Duck River Stock where possible.
- Donor population preference order 1)from same physiographic province, 2) adjacent physiographic province, 3) only viable source.

**Mind your genetic stocks or else!**

## Duck River Mussel Augmentation & Reintroduction Plan

**Recent translocations of **non-listed species continued since 2004.
- 630 Clinch River Fluted Kidneyshell to two sites on the Duck.
- 284 Clinch River Fluted Kidneyshell, 201 Cumberland Moccasinshell, & 97 Pheasantshell to one site on the Nolichucky.

## Duck River Mussel Augmentation & Reintroduction Plan

**Monitoring Progress**:  as always, we will depend on partnerships for funding and support during this long process.
**Vision Statement:** We must transition from monitoring the status quo and move into active management of species populations if we hope to achieve faunal recovery.

**We’re going to be here awhile!**