Freshwater mussels are moving into the Anacostia River watershed limelight. Change is afoot and the timing is ideal during the Year of the Anacostia. Tiny. Overlooked. Underappreciated. Unknown. No more!
Freshwater mussels are a thing?
Mussel beds are biologic hotspots. Mussels eat algae and bacteria, which is good for water quality. Healthy mussel beds feed fish, turtles, mammals, and birds, which supports healthy watersheds and communities.
All mussels filter, or strain, water for plankton, bacteria and other particles for food. Shells in this crowd are usually longer than wide. All mussels are mollusks and bivalves. There the family tree splits in to freshwater mussels (Palaeoheterodonta) and marine, or saltwater, mussels (Pteriomorphia).
Marine mussels are closer to oysters and scallops than freshwater mussels in the taxonomic tree. Marine, not freshwater, mussels a reserved in your favorite Belgian restaurant. Rather the taste of freshwater mussels is likened to an old dirty shoe.
So, what's the deal?
Adult river mussels can filter 10 gallons of water per day each. A healthy mussel bed about 200 yards long can filter half a millions gallons of river water a day! That could be a lot of cleaned-up water from each mussel basket in the Anacostia watershed.
Mussel filters help rivers and streams how?
Water quality and clarity improve as mussels remove bacteria and gunky particles. More mussels helps move us closer to swimming the the watershed. Dig into the Anacostia 2032 for details.
8 types of native mussels are found in the Anacostia and Potomac rivers, but they are small in numbers. The Anacostia Watershed Society Facebook post w/ pics, definitely worth a look!
Eastern floater (Pyganodon cataracta), Eastern elliptio (Elliptio complanata), Tidewater mucket (Leptodea ochracea), Eastern pondmussel (Ligumia nasuta), Eastern lampmussel (Lampsilis radiata), Atlantic spike (Elliptio producta), Alewife floater (Utterbackiana implicata) and Paper pondshell (Utterbackia imbecilis).
The Anacostia River mussel power team* will work to boost native species population.
Into mussel power science? Check out Fred Pickney's Anacostia Watershed Restoration Partnership presentation Monitoring Bioaccumulation of Organic Contaminants in Anacostia River Tributaries with Elliptio complanata and passive samplers: 2016-2018.)
Can mussels live in and filter the Anacostia River?
The Anacostia team is collecting data to find out. Juvenile, 1-centimeter-long mussels are in floating baskets and submerged silos in the tidal Anacostia. The study uses eastern lampmussel (Lampsilis radiata) a native species, at 10 sites from Buzzard Point to Bladensburg to Beaverdam Creek in Greenbelt. The team monitors the mussels and water quality each week for 10 weeks. Study data will identify potential sites for mussel nursery sites! In fall, AWS use summer data and star a 1 year study placing eastern pond mussel (Ligumia nasuta) and alewife floater (Anodonta implicata) juveniles in floating baskets. Both are listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the District of Columbia’s Wildlife Action Plan.
“Monkeyface, sheepnose, cat’s paw, elk toe, pocketbook, pearlshell, pistolgrip, washboard, spectaclecase: freshwater mussels may have some of the most colorful common names of any group of animals, reflecting the fact that they have been part of the human experience for millennia. ”
Do mussels need help?
Yes! Small changes in yards and big changes in our communities all help improve Anacostia watershed mussel power.
Come to the river! Knowing and seeing the Anacostia River watershed is a great start.
Prevent water runoff from yards, driveways and streets aka stormwater.
Volunteer in your watershed. Trash cleanups are fun!
Plant trees, add native plants to avoid runoff of soil into freshwater areas
Use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to replace and limit pesticide use.
Support watersheds through local organizations and agencies.
Freshwater vs Marine Mussels, Conserve Wildlife NJ, 2012
Maryland: Freshwater Mussels, Maryland DNR 2010.
Mussels: Making Moves for Water Quality, US FWS, 2017
Mussel Power, 11th St. Bridge Park, 2018
Restoring Rivers with a Little Mussel Power, US FWS, 2017
American's Mussels: Silent Sentinels US FWS 2018