Wildlife Diversity Program Quarterly Report for April–June 2025
Updating the Distribution of Brook Floater Following Hurricane Helene
by Mike Perkins, Foothills AWD Coordinator
T he Foothills AWD region has been hard at work one year after Hurricane Helene swept through the Blue Ridge moun- tains where it caused widespread destruction to several river drainages including the upper Catawba and upper Yadkin Riv- ers. One of our highest priority species in those river drainages is the Brook Floater, Alasmidonta varicosa (NC-Endangered). Foothills AWD biologists conducted numerous surveys through- out the Brook Floaters’ range in the Catawba and Yadkin drain- ages during July to September in 2025. Brook Floaters are a sen- sitive and rare mussel species that do not tolerate extreme disturbances or prolonged declines in water quality. Staff con- ducted approximately 50 person-hours of snorkel surveys for mussels between July and September. The NCWRC has been recording declines for this species in both the Catawba and Yad- kin Rivers for 7 years prior to the storm. In the Catawba River upstream of Lake James, biologists revisited areas where Brook Floaters have historically been found and detected small num- bers of individuals (<10) are persisting in areas where flood damage and debris removal operations were minimal. In the Lin- ville River however, there was significant widespread damage to the riverbed and few areas for refuge. Despite robust survey effort, staff have not detected any Brook Floaters from previously occupied sites in the Linville River. By far the best remaining Brook Floater population in the Catawba drainage is in the John’s River watershed, where staff have spent significant effort salvaging Brook Floaters and other species from sites where hab- itat quality has declined due to Hurricane Helene or where debris removal work was necessary to begin stream restoration. In general, the Yadkin River drainage experienced less severe impacts from Hurricane Helene. Foothills AWD biologists con- ducted surveys in the Yadkin River, Elk Creek, Roaring River, and Mitchell River between July and September. Despite rela- tively intact habitat after hurricane Helene, Brook floater popu- lations still appear to be in decline. We did not observe any indi- viduals in Elk Creek or Mitchell River, or from several previously known sites in the Roaring River watershed. There’s typically only a brief window where conditions are suitable for surveys in the Yadkin River mainstem; because the river is quite large and due to staffing shortages in the Foothills region, we were only able to prioritize a limited number of survey sites. In September, staff surveyed three of our longterm monitoring sites and docu- mented continued Brook Floater occupancy at all sites.
Foothills AWD plan to continue conducting surveys through- out the region, including heavily damaged areas such as Chim- ney Rock and Green River. We’re compiling data in the wake of Hurricane Helene and while it will be some time before we understand the long-term impacts to aquatic wildlife in the region, it appears that rare mussel populations are exhibiting sig- nificant levels of stress across areas affected by the storm. Fresh- water mussels are an important part of aquatic ecosystems; while often unseen, healthy mussel beds contribute to the Blue Ridge Mountain’s excellent water quality and will likely require addi- tional effort to conserve in the post-Helene landscape.
CHRIS CARLSON/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Top: FAWD technician Taylor Crews recording data on the Rocky Broad River in Chimney Rock, August 2025. Bottom: FAWD coordi- nator Michael Perkins holding a Brook Floater on the Catawba River, Sept 2025.
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