Tim LaneSouthwest Virginia Mussel Recovery CoordinatorVirginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
Established in 1998 following a catastrophic toxic spill that resulted in a fish/mussel kill over 7 miles of the Clinch River in Cedar Bluff, VA
In 2004 Certus Inc. settled for $3.8 million which started a 12-yr propagation program to re-establish populations in kill zone
Our Mission:▪ To protect and recover endangered aquatic
species in the Upper Tennessee River Basin▪ By propagating and cultivating native aquatic species
jeopardized by anthropogenic activity, with a primary focus on endangered freshwater mussel recovery
▪ By re-establishing aquatic communities impacted by toxic spills and poor land use and reconnecting those fragmented by dams
▪ By augmenting populations or species in decline to prevent the need for future listing
▪ To ensure our unique aquatic resources will be preserved and passed on to future generations
Freshwater Mussels Most Imperiled Group of Organisms in Virginia, U.S.
Clinch and Powell Rivers Hotspot for Biodiversity: Historically Contained at least 55 of the ~300 known species in U.S. – Now down to 47
Extirpated or Extinct
14%
Non-listed33%
Federal Endangered
24%
State Endangered
29%
Facility StaffTim LaneMussel Recovery Coordinator, Region III
Sarah CollettiMussel Recovery Specialist, Region III
Joe FerraroMussel Propagation Specialist, Region III
Tiffany LeachAquatic Resource Specialist, Region III
Faith FenykIntern, Summer 2017
Affiliated StaffBrian WatsonState Malacologist, Region II
Katie MillerAquatic Resource Specialist, Region II
Virginia’s Wildlife Action Plan 2015 – Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries▪ Practical and cost-effective actions to restore wildlife across the Commonwealth of Virginia
Plan for the Population Restoration and Conservation of Imperiled Freshwater Mollusks of the Cumberlandian Region 2010▪ Framework for the restoration of priority mollusk species through reintroduction, augmentation,
and controlled propagation
10-Year Strategic Mussel Augmentation Plan 2016 ▪ Clear goals for mussel propagation facilities working in Clinch/Powell Rivers
▪ Release 114,000 mussels/year to Clinch River (RM 220-260)▪ 187,000 mussels/year to Powell River (RM 65-123)
Species Recovery Plans – U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service▪ Many now outdated but useful in strategizing particular recovery actions
Imperiled Aquatic Species Conservation Strategy for the Upper Tennessee River Basin 2017 –U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service▪ Suggested Management Approach for 36 Fish and Mussel Species’ Recovery▪ Prioritize Listed Species recovery actions in cost-effective ways
Holston
LEE
SCOTTWASHINGTON
WISE RUSSEL
TAZEWELL
WYTHE
BLAND
SMYTH
10 miles
1 2
3
64
5
1=Lower Powell, 2=Lower Clinch, 3=Clinch Islands, 4=Middle Clinch, 5=Upper Clinch, 6=N.F. Holston
10-Year Augmentation Strategy
Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries – Lead Agency
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency Virginia Tech Freshwater Mollusk
Conservation Center The Nature Conservancy
Species (Priority Top to Bottom) Common Name Status Target Streams
VDGIF
Augmentation
Reach
Batches
Planned
Target
Produce
Target
Release
Alasmidonta viridis Slippershell SE Clinch/Indian Creek 4,5 1 500 100
Cyprogenia stegaria Fanshell FE Clinch/Powell 1,4 2 5,000 250
Dromus dromas Dromedary pearlymussel FE Clinch/Powell 1,4 2 3,000 250
Epioblasma brevidens Combshell FE Clinch/Powell 1,4 3 75,000 25,000
Epioblasma capsaeformis Oyster mussel FE Clinch/Powell 1,4 3 50,000 15,000
Epioblasma florentina aureola Golden Riffleshell FE Indian Creek/Where suitable 5 1 500+ 200
Epioblasma triquetra Snuffbox FE Clinch/Powell 1,4 2 25,000 5,000
Fusconaia barnesiana Tennessee pigtoe Stable Clinch/Powell 4,5 4 5,000 1,000
Fusconaia cor Shiny pigtoe FE Clinch/Powell 1,4 3 5,000 1,000
Hemistena lata Cracking pearlymussel FE Clinch/Powell 1,4 1 500 100
Lemiox rimosus Birdwing pearlymussel FE Powell/TWRA partnership 1,4 5 10,000 2,000
Medionidus conradicus Cumberland Moccassinshell Stable Clinch/Powell 4,5 4 20,000 5,000
Plethobasus cyphyus Sheepsnose FE Clinch/Powell 1,4 1 1,000 100
Ptychobranchus subtentum Fluted Kidneyshell FE Clinch 1,4 2 7,500 2,000
Quadrula cylindrica Rough Rabbitsfoot FE Clinch/Powell 4,5 1 500 50
Quadrula intermedia Cumberland Monkeyface FE Clinch/Powell 1,4 2 1,000 100
Quadrula sparsa Appalachian Monkeyface FE Clinch/Powell 1,4 1 500 50
Venustaconcha trabalis (Beech Creek/Hiwassee River)
Tennessee Bean FE NF Holston/TWRA partnership 6 2 5,000 500
Venustaconcha trabalis (Indian Creek) Tennessee Bean FE Clinch/Indian Creek 4,5 1 5,000 500
Villosa vanuxemensis (Indian Creek) Mountain Creekshell Stable Clinch/Indian Creek 2,4,5 1 5,000 2,000
Total 19 Speices 40 224,500 60,000
Species Common NameImperiled
Status Batches Number of Drop-offs # left at last sample % survival
Alasmodonta viridis Slippershell SE 1 850 99 11.6
Cyprogenia stegaria Fanshell FE 1 33 0 0.0
Dromus dromas Dromedary Pearlymussel FE 1 240 0 0.0
Epioblasma brevidens Cumberlandian Combshell FE 8 76,782 44,176 57.5
Epioblasma capsaeformis Oyster Mussel FE 5 22,669 11,766 51.9
Epioblasma triquetra Snuffbox FE 1 1,038 25 2.4
Fusconaia cuneolus Fine-rayed Pigtoe FE 1 435 241 55.4
Lampsilis ovata Pocketbook Stable 2 9,496 6,425 67.7
Lemiox rimosus Birdwing Pearlymussel FE 1 37,684 472 1.3
Medionidus conradicus Cumberland Moccasinshell Stable 1 145 2 1.4
Ptychobranchus subtentum Fluted Kidneyshell FE 2 10,773 409 3.8
Quadrula cylindrica Rabbitsfoot FE 1 211 183 86.7
Venustaconcha trabalis Tennessee Bean FE 3 8,910 1,830 20.5
Villosa vanuxemensis Mountain Creekshell Stable 2 19,576 14,211 72.6
Total 14 Species 26 188,842 79,839 42.3
Species Common Name Imperiled Status VDGIF Augmentation Reaches Number of Drop-offs
Epioblasma brevidens Cumberlandian Combshell FE 1&4 57,044
Epioblasma capsaeformis Oyster Mussel FE 1&4 8,090
Epioblasma triquetra Snuffbox FE 1&4 9,608
Lampsilis fasciola Wavy-rayed Lampmussel Stable 5 70,542
Medionidus conradicus Cumberland Moccasinshell Stable 5 9,517
Ptychobranchus subtentum Fluted Kidneyshell FE 1,4,5 10,781
Venustaconcha trabalis Tennessee Bean FE 4,5 2,771
Villosa iris Rainbow Stable 5 105,613
FMCC Total 8 Species 18 273,966
AWCC Total 14 Species 26 188,842
Both Facilities Combined Total for 2017 16 Species 44 462,808
*Data used courtesy of Jess Jones and Anna Delapenta, VaTech FMCC
Cohort Year
Species Imperilment Status 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Totals
Alasmodonta viridis SE 99 99
Dromus dromas FE 1 1
Epioblasma aureola FE 4 271 40 315
Epioblasma brevidens FE 194 1,637 8,020 36,176 46,027
Epioblasma capsaeformis FE 44 2,779 11,766
14,589
Epioblasma triquetra FE 25 25
Fusconaia cuneolus FE 241 241
Lampsilis abrupta FE 1 1
Lampsilis fasciola Stable 31 231 748 1,010
Lampsilis ovata Stable 3 98 6,425 6,526
Lemiox rimosus FE 7 312 472 791
Medionidus conradicus Species of Concern 33 1,465 2 1,500
Pleuronaia barnesiana Stable 120 120
Ptychobranchus subtentum FE 1 409
410
Quadrula strigilata FE 183 183
Venustaconcha trabalis FE 10 491 1,8302,331
Villosa iris Stable 159 159
Villosa vanuxamensis Stable 1,655 14,211 15,866
Total 4 418 1,932 15,961 71,879 90,194
Species Clinch Augmentation Reach - VA
Powell Augmentation
Reach - VA‘TNC Grant' Powell River (LMU Study)
‘Certus' Spill Reach
‘Estonoa' Student Silo Study Provided to TWRA Total
Dromus dromas4 4
Epioblasma brevidens3,500 1,940 60 1,500 7,000
Epioblasma capsaeformis760 440 60 500 1,760
Epioblasma f. aureola761 761
Io fluvialis (Spiny River Snail)70 70
Lampsilis fasciola600 25 625
Lampsilis ovata75 99 174
Lemiox rimosus25 25
Medionidus conradicus250 250
Villosa iris60 185 245
Venustaconcha trabalis300 95 395
Villosa vanuxemensis1,000 354 25 1,379
Total6,584 2,380 180 1,309 235 2,000 12,688
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