After discovering some shells on the bank of Mt. Scott Creek, we decided to run our eDNA samples to look for the presence of freshwater mussels. This analysis got detections for Oregon floater (Anodonta oregonensis) in the impounded water behind Kellogg dam, and western pearlshell (Margaritifera falcata) in other parts of the Kellogg-Mt. Scott watershed.
Freshwater mussels are vital to healthy aquatic ecosystems because they support other species that enrich our rivers and lakes and improve water quality by filtering gallons of water each day. These mussel are constantly removing impurities, sequestering heavy metals, and even removing pharmaceuticals and bacteria such as E. coli, providing an ecological service that benefits both humans and other wildlife. Freshwater mussels are long-lived, with western pearlshell having an average life span of approximately 60-70 years and living for up to 100 years.
Because these are such an ecological important species, the Council submitted a successful grant application to the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board to survey the Kellogg-Mt. Scott watershed to find the presence of any mussel beds. This work will be started in 2025 in cooperation with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, who developed the visual survey protocol framework for mussel surveys. The survey sites were determined based on the detections found during the eDNA study.
ncwatersheds.org 