Freshwater Mussel Survey Needs Your Help!
July 01, 2017From the common to the rare, we need your help in recording locations of freshwater mussels in Vermont. Nearly everyone knows what a mussel shell looks like and many of you are armed with a camera. Help us find them. Read more on the VCE Blog and join us! »
Threats to Native Mussels
January 26, 2017Mussel populations are tied to the health of the river system in which they live, and their presence can indicate a pristine watershed. So what is a healthy river? Read more on the VTDEC blog »
Clean Water Superstar: Native mussels
January 02, 2017Imagine you’re kayaking on a wide, slow-moving river. The water is clear and you look down as you paddle. The bottom is sandy with some gravel and rocks mixed in, but you notice that some of the “rocks” you’ve been seeing don’t look quite right. They are all about the same size, slightly cracked, and have a bit of what looks like algae growing out of the cleft. You drift closer to the shore and as the water gets shallower, you are able to get a better look and can see that these aren’t rocks, but native freshwater mussels, shells open to filter nutritious particles out of the water. Read more on the VTDEC blog »
Invasive Asian Clam Discovered in Vermont Waters
September 01, 2016State officials recently discovered the presence of an invasive clam species in Lake Bomoseen. The Asian clam has been documented in surrounding regions like Lake George, NY, but has not been found in Vermont until now. Asian clams, like zebra mussels, are filter feeding organisms that can deplete resources needed by native species and increase algae blooms. They can also form dense populations very quickly, clogging intake pipes to lakeside homes, industrial water systems, and irrigation canals. Read more »
Dam busters to use grants to help NH trout, endangered mussels
August 06, 2016Along with brook trout, another potential beneficiary of the more than $1.8 million in grants issued in New Hampshire by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation might be the dwarf wedgemussel — an endangered freshwater bivalve that helps to purify the water in tributaries of the upper Connecticut River. Read the article at Union Leader »
State grant to support freshwater mussel restoration in Connecticut River basin
July 19, 2016Freshwater mussel conservation in several Connecticut River tributaries will get a boost thanks to a state grant in Massachusetts. The Connecticut River Watershed Council was awarded $40,512 to help restore endangered brook floater mussels to four streams. Read the article at MassLive »