Restoring a Rarity

In a unified effort to conserve an endangered species, the TWRA joined forces with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (VDWR), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to reintroduce one of the rarest freshwater mussels in North America—the Appalachian Rockshell— into the Clinch and Powell rivers of upper East Tennessee and Virginia.

The Appalachian Rockshell mussel, a federally endangered species, is found only in these two rivers and has been historically documented in just a handful Restoring a Rarity Another story of TWRA’s Efforts to Reintroduce an Endangered Species of locations. TWRA’s Statewide Mollusk Conservation Coordinator, Brittany Bajo-Walker, emphasized the significance of the effort. “The Appalachian Rockshell mussel is a very rare species only found in the Clinch and Powell Rivers in Tennessee and Virginia and has only been reintroduced in just a few locations.”

 Twenty-five mussels were carefully stocked into each of the two rivers by a team of biologists from each agency. Each mussel was outfitted with a Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tag, allowing researchers to monitor their survival and movement over time.

Tim Lane, a former VDWR biologist and now the Propagation Manager for the Cumberland River Aquatic Center with TWRA, underscored the urgency of the mission. “The Appalachian Rockshell is the rarest mussel in our region, if not the whole country, and is on the brink of extinction.”

This reintroduction effort highlights the strength of partnership-driven conservation. Strides are being made in preserving a species that plays a vital role in freshwater ecosystems.

Photo caption:

Pictured from left are Todd Amacker (TVA), Brittany Bajo-Walker (TWRA), Tim Lane (TWRA), and Matt Reed (TVA).

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