Implementation of a Monitoring Tool for Assessing Stream Health

We have previously developed a method for assessing stream health by measuring growth of juvenile mussels placed in streams. In previous experiments, juvenile mussels placed in impaired streams do not grow, suggesting that growth inhibition is a mechanism for mussel declines and is an indicator of overall stream degradation. We propose to implement a repeatable and robust tool for directly assessing the ability of streams to support mussel populations and for assessing overall stream health. We will place captively propagated juvenile mussels in streams and measure their survival and growth. Juveniles are housed in flow-through enclosures for easy monitoring and retrieval. We will focus on streams in the Daniel Boone National Forest, Kentucky, but other streams will be used as references. Data obtained from this study will have at least two benefits. First, it will identify high quality streams that are suitable for mussel restoration. Second, it will identify impaired streams in need of restoration. Phase one of this work will be conducted in 2018-2019. Additional, follow-up work will be undertaken in subsequent years dependent on acquisition of additional funding.