MOLLUSKS
Pee Dee River Mussel Surveys
by Emilia Omerberg, Central Region Aquatic Wildlife Diversity Biologist and Brena Jones, Central AWD Coordinator
B eginning in 2009, three long-term mussel population monitoring sites were established in the lower Pee Dee River, near the state border in south-central North Carolina. In 2024, with help from partners including Duke Energy/Progress, staff con- ducted the eighth biennial survey for priority mussel species downstream of Blewett Falls and Tillery dams. Monitoring at the third site, below Falls Dam, has been turned over to Cube Hydro as part of their Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license requirements. These data provide an opportunity to document the potential changes in mussel diversity and abundance
due to the improved dissolved oxygen levels and minimum flows downstream of these dams implemented under new FERC licenses for Duke Energy/Progress. In addition,
this long-term dataset may provide insights into population responses to other events such as extreme floods from large hurricanes. Data analysis from this survey is ongoing. Species richness at both sites was similar to that found in 2022, with 11 species downstream of Blewett Falls Dam and 14 species below Tillery Dam. SGCN species of mussels collected include the Yel- low Lampmussel, Eastern Lamp- mussel, Eastern Pondmussel, and Carolina Creekshell.
BRENA JONES/NCWRC
Above: A male Eastern Lampmussel. Above right: Mussel Monitoring Area Map–Pee Dee River, NC.
New Hope Creek Mussel Surveys by Emilia Omerberg, Central Region Aquatic Wildlife Diversity Biologist and Brena Jones, Central AWD Coordinator
S taff conducted mussel surveys in search of rare species in New Hope Creek, located in Durham in the upper end of the Cape Fear River basin. Four reaches were surveyed in Orange County over three days. SGCN mussel species detected included Notched Rainbow and Carolina Creekshell. In addition, staff conducted monitoring of stocked Notched Rainbow in a reach in Duke Forest where 2,000 individuals were released in November of 2023. Nearly one year later, the stocked mussels are still alive and are now three years of age. We detected 53 tagged animals and observed that over- all, animals appeared to be healthy and doing well.
NCWRC
Three-year-old Notched Rainbow in New Hope Creek. One has a Hallprint tag (left), as well as a PIT tag (not visible on the other side of the same ani- mal) and one has a black dot paint tag (right).
70 2024 Wildlife Diversity Program Annual Report
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