Freshwater mussel inventories at Bluestone National Scenic River, New River Gorge National Park and Preserve and Gauley River National Recreation Area: Final report
Copperhead Environmental Consulting, Inc.. 2023. Freshwater mussel inventories at Bluestone National Scenic River, New River Gorge National Park and Preserve and Gauley River National Recreation Area: Final report. Natural Resource Report. NPS/NRSS/IMD/NRR—2023/2604. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado. https://doi.org/10.36967/2301605
Qualitative timed search surveys for freshwater mussels were conducted at 30 sites in the New River National Park and Preserve (NERI), 24 sites in the Gauley River National Recreation Area (GARI), and nine sites in the Bluestone National Scenic River (BLUE). When a mussel density of greater than one mussel per square meter was encountered, a semi-quantitative transect survey was conducted. Mussel presence was detected at 22 of 30 sites in NERI, zero of 24 sites in GARI, and one of nine sites in BLUE. Transect surveys were conducted at 15 sites in NERI. No transects were conducted at GARI or BLUE. All NERI survey efforts combined to detect six mussel species. Qualitative surveys in NERI found 1,126 mussels of five species. Transect surveys in NERI combined for 1,071 mussels of five species. A single individual of one species (Alasmidonta marginata) was encountered only while returning mussels to the stream. Mussel density encountered on transects in NERI varied from 0.12 to 4.58 mussels per square meter. The mussel community encountered was heavily dominated by Actinonaias ligamentina, which comprised over 85% of mussels found. Mussels encountered in NERI appeared to be similar to historic surveys, though some species historically present were not encountered. Very little historic data is available for the Gauley River and historic mussel populations are assumed to have been sparse. Only four individuals of one species (Cyclonaias tuberculata) were found in BLUE. Mussel populations appear to have declined drastically in the Bluestone River based on surveys conducted during the 1980’s to present day.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Copperhead Environmental Consulting, Inc.
- Date of Issue
- 2023-12
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- DOI
- 10.36967/2301605
- Units
- BLUE , GARI , IMD , NERI
- Keywords
- freshwater mussels, inventory, inventory and monitoring, survey
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Freshwater Communities , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | At-risk Biota | T&E Species and Communities