1\..entUe1(y PROJECT NUMBER 4-19-R pate June SO, 1969 reriop July 1, 1966 to June 30, isl~!.r~ ,'I ~_~~~J

Transcription

1 i,'i _J isl!.r 1\entUe1(y PROJECT NUMBER 4-19-R pate June SO, 1969 reriop July 1, 1966 to June 30, 1969

2 State of Kentucky Project No R Date 30 June, 1969 Period 1 July, 1966 to to 30 June, 1969 PROJECT COMPLETION REPORT FOR INVESTIGATIONS PROJECTS Title of Project: Mussel Fishery Investigations, Tennessee, Ohio and Green Rivers o Principal Investigator: John C. Williams Sponsored by: U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, under the Commercial Fisheries Research and Development Act of 1964, and Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Minor E. Clark, Commissioner :ubcontracted to: lurray State University Biological Station, Murray, Kentucky Hunter M. Hancock, Director S. '\'JEr' Y'.., _\ONl ' llsdt ti,:,tiimai Agricuttu! a! LiLr;j1 Y k-:. ;;-;e; lu.::,; Elv(1, lv',-ij :,C}i)-2J51

3 I I l. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION. METHODS AND MATERIALS DISCUSSION. The Tennessee River Below Kentucky Dam Brail Sampling. Dredge Sampling.. Age and Growth.. Recruitment and Reproduction. Harvest. The Kentucky Portion of Kentucky Lake Brail Sampling. Dredge Sampling. Age and Growth. Recruitment and Reproduction HalVest The 0 hio River. Sampling.. Age and Growth Sampling by Diving Recruitment and Reproduction Harvest The Green River... Sampling,. Age and Growth Recruitment and Reproduction Harvest OLLUTION ASPECTS. UMMARY.,CKNOWLEDGEMENTS,ITERATURE CITED PAGE

4 TABLES PAGE Table 1, Brail Samples, Tennessee River, Total Catch,'. 44 Table 2, Brait Samples Tennessee River, Commercially Valuable Species, W est Bank Table 3, Brail Samples, Tennessee River, Commercially Valuahle Species, Channel. 45 Table 4, Brail Samples. Tennessee River, Commercially Valuable Species. East Bank Table 5, Brail Samples, Tennessee River, Commercially Valuable Spedes, Total River 46 Table 6, List of Species of Mussels. Tennessee River Table 7, Dredge Samples, Tennessee River Table 8, Dredge Samples. Tennessee River, West Bank, Miles Table 9, Compilation of Dredge Sampling, Data, Tennessee River 50 Table 10, Glochidial Infestation in Fishes 50 Table 11, Age Composition of Fusconaia ebenus Tennessee River 51 Table 12, Location of Beds in Kentucky Lake 51 Table 13, Areas Worked on the Ohio River 52 Table 14, Location of Beds in the Ohio River Table 15, List of Species of Mussels in the Ohio River Table 16, Total Numbers by Area and Percent of Total, Ohio River Table 17, Total Numbers of Commercially Valuable Mussels in Area I, Ohio River Table 18, Total Numbers of Commercially Valuable Mussels in Area II, Ohio River Table 19, Total Numbers of Commercially Valuable Mussels in Area III, Ohio River Table 20, Total Numbers of Commercially Valuable Mussels in Area IV, Ohio River Table 21, Total Numbers of Commercially Valuable Mussels in Area V, Ohio River. Table 22, Total Numbers of Commercially Valuable Mussels in Area VI, Ohio River Table 23, Total Numbers of Commercially Valuable Mussels, Ohio River Table 24, SCUBA totals, U8 Square Yards, Ohio River. Table 25, List of Species of Mussels, Green River.. Table 26, Total Numbers by Area and Percent of Total, Grecn River Table 27, Total Numbers of Commercially Valuable Mussels, Area I, Green River Table 28, Total Numbers of Commercially Valuable Mussels, Area II, Green River Table 29, Total Numbers of Commercially Valuable Mussels, Area III, Green River Table 30, Total Numbers of Commercially Valuable Mussels, Green River II

5 PLATES Plate I, Areas of Tennessee, Ohio and Green Rivers Included in this Study Plate 2, Length,Weight Relationship by Age Group, Fusconain ebenus in the PAGE 69 Tennessee and Green Rivers Plate 3, Length-Weight Relationship by Age Group,Pleurabema corda tum in the Tennessee and Green Rivers Plate 4, Length-Weight Relationship by Age Group, QUlldrula quadrula in the Tennessee and Green Rivers. 72 Plate 5, Length-Weight Relationship by Age Group, Amblema costata in the Tennessee and Green Rivers Plate 6, Length-Weight Relationship by Age Group, Megalanaias gigantea in the Tennessee and Green Rivers Plate 7, Number of Individuals by Age Group, Fusconaia ebenus in the Tennessee and Green Rivers Plate 8, Number of Individuals by Age Group, Pleurobema cordatum in the Tennessee and Green Rivers Plate 9, Number of Individuals by Age Group, Quadrula quadrula in the Tennessee and Green Rivers. 77 Plate 10, Number ofindividuais by Age Group, Amblema castata in the Tennessee and Green Rivers Plate 11, Number of Individuals by Age Group, Megalonaias gigantea in the Tennessee and Green Rivers late 12, Number of Individuals by Age Group, Quadrula quadrula Ohio River _ 80 ')late 13, Number of Individuals by Age Group, Quadrula metanevra Ohio River 81 )late 14, Number of Individuals by Age Group, Fusconaia ebenus Ohio River.. 82 'late 15, Number of Individuals by Age Group,Pleurabema cordatum Ohio River 83 )late 16, Number of Individuals by Age Group, Pleurobenw pyramidatum Ohio River 84 'late 17, Number of Individuals by Age Group, Amblema costata Ohio River. _ 85 'late 18, Number of Individuals by Age Group, Megalanaias gigantea Ohio River 86 'late 19, Length-Weight Relationship by Age Group, Quadruln quadrula Ohio River. _.. _..... _. _. 87 Ilate 20, Length-Weight Relationship by Age Group, Quadrula metanevra Ohio River _.. _ _.. 88 'late 21, Length-Weight Relationship by Age Group, Fusconaia ebenus, Ohio River 'late 22, Length-Weight Relationship by Age Group, Pleurobenw corda tum Ohio River... _.... _. _. _. 90 late 23, Length-Weight Relationship by Age Group, Pleurobema pyramidatum Ohio River _. _. 91 late 24, Length-Weight Relationship by Age Group, Amblema costata Ohio River... _.... _.. _.. _. 92 late 25, Length-Weight Relationship by Age Group, Megalonaias gigantea, Ohio River.. _..... _.. _..... _..... _.. _.. _. _... _. _ 93 ill

6 Plate 26, Number of Individuals by Age Group, Actinonaws ligamentina and Ptychobmnchus fasciolore, Green River. 94 Plate 27, Number of Individuals by Age Group, Plagiola lineolata, Fusconaw undata and Pleurobema plenum, Green River 95 Plate 28, Length-Weight Relationship by Age Group, Actinonaws ligamentina and Ptychobmnchus fasciolare Green River Plate 29, Length-Weight Relationship by Age Group, Plagiola lineolata, Fusconaia undata and Pleurobema plenum, Green River 97 IV

7 FIGURES Figure 1, Lower End of Riffle, Area I, Green River Figure 2, Pool, Area I, Green River Figure 3, Riffle, Area I, Green River Figure 4, Upper End of Riffle, Area I, Green River Figure 5, Coal Loading Facility, Green River Figure 6, Coal Loading Facility, Green River Figure 7, Aluminum Boat Desigued for Musseling Figure 8, Mussel Brail. Figure 9, The Mule. Figure 10, Piles of Shells Collected by Muskrats Figure 11, Piles of Shells Collected by Muskrats Figure 12, A Baldy. Figure 13, Underground Stream, Hart County, Green River Figure 14, Dam 6, Green River.. Figure 15, Thermal Line near Paradise, Kentucky, Green River Figure 16, Thermal Line near Paradise, Kentucky, Green River PAGE v

8 ERRATA Page 94,Plate 26 Ptychobranchius should read Ptychobranchus Page 96,Plate 28 Ptychobranchius should read Ptychobranchus

9 INTRODUCTION Freshwater mussels have long been of economic importance in the Ohio River drainage basin. The earliest written reference to this found by the author dates back to In the Ohio. they find in abundance a species of Mulette which is from five to six inches in length. They do not eat it, but the mother 0' pearl, which is very thick in it is used in making buttons. (Michaux, 1805). No further details were given as to where these buttons were made although he mentioned seeing buttons in Lexington that were as beautiful as those made in Europe. Certainly at this early date on the frontier, factories with machinery were not set up for manufacturing buttons. A pearl button factory was built in Knoxville, Tennessee as early as 1883 but closed after a short time. Failure of this industry was attributed to lack of suitable machinery. (Isom, 1966). Coker (1919) states the manufacture of buttons from freshwater mussel shells began in This probably indicates the first successful venture in the field. The above mentioned factory was established by a Mr. J.F. Boepple at Muscatine, Iowa. In the beginning, shells were collected from the nearby Mississippi River and the first shells used were yellow sand shells, Lampsilis anodontoides. Since not enough of this species were available to meet the demand, the factory began using the mucket, Actinonaws ligamentina, the pocketbook, Lampsilis ventricosa and the black sand shell, Ligumw recta. In 1894 they found the niggerhead, Fusconaw ebenus to be of good quality and luster and began using this species also. As the industry grew, more button factories were built and other rivers, including the Tennessee; Ohio and Green covered in this study were explored for new beds of mussels. As new beds were discovered in the various rivers, they were supposedly mapped, however, no copies of these maps could be found even though considerable effort was expended in correspondence, interviews and other forms of search. By the late 1800's, the Ohio River drainage basin had been recognized as containing an abundant supply of good quality pearl button mussels. From the late 1800's until the early 1940's, commercial musseling for the pearl button industry was carried out on most of the large rivers of the United States, where shells were of sufficient quality and quantity to warrant collecting. Many rivers had excellent beds of shells that were of fine appearance but were worthless as button material due to being brittle, chalky or discolored underneath the nacre when cut. (op. cit.). Musseling for the button factories probably hit its peak in the late 1920's and early 1930's during the depression. Prior to 'sale of shells to a buyer for the button factories, the mussels had to be cooked out. This was accomplished by placing the mussels in a large container and steaming them for a period of time to facilitate removal of the soft tissues. As a general rule, all mussels collected were steamed and the unsalable ones such as the washboard, 1

10 Megalonaias gigantea and the pinks (shells with a natural color other than white in the nacre) were discarded. One reason for cooking out the river run of shells was the baroque pearls or slugs found in a small percentage of the mussels. These were salable to jewelers and represented another source of income for the musselmen. The soft parts of the mussels were sometimes used as food for hogs or chickens or as fish bait but since it deteriorated so rapidly, most of it was discarded. The button manufacturing machinery was evidently easy to dismantle and move from one site to another. This was done as often as necessary to be near productive beds of shells. On the sites of these factories still may be found large piles of discarded shells and shells with button blanks cut from them. This type of discarded material was found near Paducah, Kentucky on the Tennessee River and at Portsmouth, Ohio, Vanceburg, Kentucky, Augusta, Kentucky, Leavenworth, Indiana, Cloverport, Kentucky and Metropolis, Illinois on the Ohio River. No doubt, more sites were on the Ohio River but the evidence has been destroyed by expansion of the communities and by river deposits. No sites were found on the Green River and this is probably due to the small size of the river limiting productivity. During the 1920's and 1930's, 100 to 150 men worked the lower Tennessee River from approximately mile 31 to the mouth. Each boat collected from 300 to 600 pounds of shells per day and the musselman were paid $5.00 to $30.00 with an average of $15.00 per ton for mixed white shells. They kept the yellow sand shell separate for which they recieved $60.00 to $80.00 per ton. Interviews with former mussclmen on the Ohio River indicate they were paid approximately the same prices for shells as on the Tennessee River. The major difference was in the number of men and boats working a particular area. On the Ohio this number varied from six to 20 boats per 30 to 40 mile unit of river. No records are available on the Green River for this period of time but certainly musselboats ascended the river when the Ohio River beds became depleted in the Owensboro Henderson, Kentucky area. The beginning of World War II was probably the major factor in the demise of the pearl button industry in the United States. Good paying jobs became plentiful, gasoline for outboard motors was difficult to obtain and the mussel beds in most areas we,e becoming depleted due to repeated intensive harvesting. The invention of plastics also contributed to the passing of the pearl button factories. Plastic is cheap and in many ways superior to mussel shells for button construction. In the early 1950's, the cultured pearl industry in Japan reawakened an interest in musseling. It was discovered that small pellets ground from American mussel shells were excellent as a nucleus for cultured pearls. As the demand for shells became greater, the price per ton increased and more and more musselmen began to ply the rivers. In 1952, large beds of clams were found in the unpolluted areas of the Ohio River. Musselmen near Leavenworth, Indiana were collecting one to one and one half tons of shells per man per week for which they received about $50.00 per ton. (Hubbard, 1953). By 1961, approximately 916 musselboats were working on the Tennessee River. With increased 2

11 musseling, tonnage of mussels taken began to decline. The total tonnage taken from the Tennessee River declined from more than 11,000 tons in 1954 and 1955 to a little more than 2,000 tons in (Isom, 1966). The number of boats in the Tennessee River below Kentucky Dam declined from more than 40 in 1964 to six in At the present time, two or three boats are working the above mentioned area. In the spring of 1967, musseling was begun in the Kentucky portion of Kentucky Lake and for a short period of time proved to be quite profitable, however, this success was short lived and by the end of the summer most of the boats were gone. Musseling began in earnest in the Ohio River in the early 1960's and reached its peak in at which time 75 to 100 boats were working that portion between Cattlettsburg, Kentucky and Cairo, Illinois. By 1967, approximately 12 boats were in the Dover Maysville, Kentucky area, six in the Auguta.California, Kentucky area and six at Cannelton, Indiana for a total of twenty four. In the Green River, only a few isolated areas have been musseled since The most intensive efforts were made in areas immediately below Dams 3,4 and 5 for reasons to be explained later in this report. It is difficult to ascertain prices received for shells by the musselmen. Even though they are required to submit a harvest report including price received per ton, the reports are not accurate. The, musselmen below Kentucky Dam in the Tennessee River in 1966 said they were paid $60.00 per ton for mixed white shells. In early 1967, the shellers in the Kentucky portion of Kentucky Lake claimed $90.00 per ton for Megalonaias gigantea and $ pcr ton for mixed white shells. In the Ohio River during the summer of 1967, a price of $ per ton was reported. Even at the lowest price per ton quoted above ($60,00 per ton) an individual could earn $30.00 to $60.00 per day provided he worked steadily on good, unexploited beds of mussels. When it became apparent that mussels were being harvested mueh morc rapidly than they were replenishing themselves, the problem became a matter of concern to biologists. On July 1, 1966, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, cooperating with the United States Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, instituted a three year mussel fishery investigation under the Commercial Fisheries Research and Development Act of This projeet was sub contracted to the Murray State University Biological Station at Murray, Kentucky. The objectives of the project were to determine the extent of mussel beds, specics composition, population density, harvest, recruitment and repoduction of mussels in those portions of the Tennessee and Ohio Rivers that flow in Kentucky and on 306 miles of the Green River 'beginning at the mouth and going upstream. The Tennessee River subproject began July and ended June 30,1967, the Ohio River subproject from July 1, 1967 to June 30, 1968 and the Green River subproject from July 1, 1968 to June 30, A map showing the areas of these rivers worked in this study is shown on plate 1. 3

12 Personnel involved in the Tennessee and Ohio River studies were: Dr. John C. Williams, Principal Investigator Lanny Dale Kaegi, Research Assistant William N. McLemore, Resea,,h Assistant Green River personnel included: Dr. John C. Williams, Principal Investigator Gordon S. Griffin, Research Assistant Mark W. Stevens, Research Assistant The Tennessee River flows through 62.4 miles of Kentucky. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers system for numbering mileage on the Tennessee River begins with mile 0 at the mouth and progresses upstream. Kentucky Dam at mile 22.4 was closed on August 30, Due to the dam, 40 miles of the river in Kentucky has been impounded for the past 25 years. The Tennessee River study started at mile 62.4 near the mouth of Cypress Creek embayment and continued to the mouth of the river near Paducah, Kentucky. In the impounded area, silt deposits in the channel and most of the shallow areas varied from two to four feet deep. Ilelow Kentucky Dam, very good current was encountered for the entire 22.4 miles to the mouth. For the first twelve miles belo\. the dam. most of the river bottom consisted.of rock, rubble and gravel with occasional small areas of clay hardpan and silt deposits in the eddy areas. From mile 10 to the mouth, the current became slower and mud and silt deposits became heavier. Ncar the mouth of the river, the silt deposits averaged approximately 2 feet deep. Dcpth of the lower Tennessee varied from 14 to 45 feet in the channel and in the impounded area from 55 to 73 feet in the channel. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers system for numbering mileage on the Ohio River is opposite that of the Tennessee River system. This river begins with mile 0 at Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania and ends with mile 981 where it empties into the Mississippi River. The Ohio River,ubprojeel covered the portion of the river that flows in Kentucky from mile 317 near Cattletlsburg, Kentucky to mile 981 at Cairo, Illinois for a total of 664 miles. Field work began on June 3, 1967 and the last collection was made on October 13, This is a large. meandering river that has been used well over 100 years as a comnh>.fcial transportation medium. The first navigation dam was built in 1830 at Louisville, Kentucky and l,y 1929, the entire letigth of the river was Illade into a series of pools by low level navigation dam Shortly after the end of World War II, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposed a series of high level dams which would be fewer in number and at the same time provide a deeper channel and the generation of electric power at some of the dams. This proposal i, now a reality and in the area worked in this study, three high level dams are compkted, two others are under construction and several more proposed. Prior to the bnilding of these high level dams. the maximum depth of the Ohio River was approximately 60 fed with occasional potholes of feet. (Williams, 1962). Some of the high level 4

13 dams will increased the maxllnnm depth 40 feet or more. The Ohio River exhibits lillie evidence of eurrenl during low flow but may become quite swift with a relatively slight influx of rulloff water. The shores of this river are thc most heavily populated and industriali,cd of any of the rivers included in this study. According to the 1940 ce!lsus. almost people lived in. the Ohio River drainage basin. Most of these live in metropolitan areas along the Ohio River proper such as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Huntington, West Virginia, Ci!lcinnati, Ohio and Louisville, Kentucky. Practically all thc river is heavily used by both commercial and pleasure craft. Since such a large area was worked. almost every conceivable bottom type was encountered i.e. rock, rubble, gravel, sand, silt, clay hardpan and mud. As in most streams, the current diminished toward lhe mouth and as the study progressed downstream, more and thicker deposits of various sediments were encountered. The Green River has the same mileage numbering system as the Tennessee River, beginning with mile 0 at the mouth and progressing upstream. The portion of this river worked extended from the Green Taylor county line to the mouth for a total of 306 miles. The field work was begun in June, 1968 at the upper end of the portion lo be sludied and was completed in October, 1968 where it empties into the 'Ohio River. From the Green Taylor County line to approximately five miles inside the Eastern Boundary of lammoth Cave National Park, the river consists of a series of pools and riffles. V cry few roads crossed the river and even fewer access sites were available for boat launching. The pool areas were from four to seven feet deep in this area and had bottoms of eilher solid rock or hard daypan, except in eddy areas where silt and mud were deposited. The riffles consisted of small rocks, rubble, gravel and sand. Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 show sonw of the upstream areas. The upstream area gradually increased in size due to feeder streams as it flowed toward the mouth but in the cave areas (primarily Hart and Edmondson Counties) it was fed by underground streams, (Figure 13). From the lower end of the last riffle to Dam 5 was an impounded area that is no longer used by tow boats. Dams 5 and 6 are no longer operable and there is little noticeable current in the slack water behind them. Dam 4 was destroyed in May, 1965 and as a result, the river between Dam 5 and Dam 4, a distance of approximately twenty two miles, has again become a pool riffle area. From below Dam 4 to Dam 3 at Rochester, Kentucky is another area of impoundment that is no longer used by commercial towboats. From Dam 3 to the mouth of the river, there is heavy use by towboats, primarily to move coal barges. Figures 5 and 6 show some of the coal loading facilities. In most of the impounded areas, the bottom consists of large rubble and rocks. overlain with a fine deposit of silt that varies from 1 to 6 inches in depth. Maximum depth in the downstream area was approximately fifty feet. The towboats stir up this silt each time they pass and create large muddy areas in their wake. The silt deposits become progressively heavier downstream as in the other rivers. 5

14 MiTHODS AND MATERIALS Prior to bd mapping and sampling, several days were spent in collecting various species of fisho to aseertain giochidial infestation. The results of this study will be discussed under f('cruitnwnt and reproduction. The following equipment was used on the project: Two aluminum boats were used, the larger of the two for deep areas and the smaller for the pool-riffle areas of the Green River. The larger boat is 16 feet long and especially d,signed for the project. It is shown in figure 7. The aluminum tubing guard rails are one and one-half inches in diameter and extend the length of the gunwales. A single seat extends across the rear of the boat and the front has a four and one-half foot work deck for bottom sample work and washing shells. This boat was powered by a 40 h.p. outboard motor. The second boat is 14 feet long, has a complete width rear seat and four and one-half foot work deck on the front but is without guard rails. It is powered by a nine and one-half h.p. outboard motor. The brail consists of an eight foot, two by four with a bridle attached. From this bar are 32 chain drops approximately 16 inches long. Attached to each chain drop are eight - four prong crowfoot hooks. These are made of 16 gauge wire and the tips have been melted, forming a small ball on each hook. These tips may be seen in figure 8 and the entire brail in figure 7. When the brail is lowered to the river bed, the wood two by four provides enough flotation that only the crowfeet drag on the bottom. When one of the wire tips goes between the partially opened valves of a mussel, the valves close and the ball prevents the wire from slipping out. After dragging the brail for a predetermined distance, it was raised by means of a gasoline powered winch, the clinging mussels were removed and the brail was ready to be dropped again. While sampling with the brail, power to move the boat was provided by a canvas mule, when current was present. The mule is nothing more than an underwater sail and may be used to steer the boat as well as a method of propulsion. The mule is shown in figure 9. In areas where there was no current or insufficient current to use the mule, the outboard motor was used to pull the boat slowly. A depth sounder was used to determine depth in all areas sampled. It was calibratea and found to be accurate within one foot at 50 feet depth. It proved to be invaluable in ascertaining bottom types and locating sunken snags, large rocks and other debris. With this instrument, areas where brails or other sampling devices might be lost could be avoided. It was also useful in determining location of the channel in the rivers and in finding the old river channel in Kentucky Lake, where all the mussel beds found were located. Bottom sampling to determine population density was done by a number of methods. It was originally intended to use SCUBA equipment in all areas studied but due to the danger involved caused by the many abandoned trotlines, snaglines and nets in the 6

15 Tennessee River, it was decided the bottom samples would be taken with a Petersen dredge. The dredge was of the one square foot size so at each area, the boat was anchored and the dredge dropped nine times to obtain a one square yard sample from each sampling area. Some SCUBA diving was attempted in Kentucky Lake but proved to be impractical dne to poor visability in the deeper portions and a paucity of mussels in the areas attempted. In the Ohio River, both SCUBA and an Evinrude Aquanaut were used in bqttom sampling. The use of SCUBA was quite restricted due to inability to obtain breathable air in most areas so the majority ofthe sampling was done with the Aquanaut which proved to be quite satisfactory. This unit was equipped with two 35 foot hoses which permitted a working maximum depth of approximately 30 feet. More than 90 perce.nt of the beds were in depths less than 30 feet so the SCUBA gear was needed only occasionally. A one square yard metal frame was lowered to the bottom to determine the area to be sampled. This frame was moved to obtain additional samples. Another method used was an anchor with a line of predetermined length attached to it. The mussels were picked up within the area covered by the line. Nylon webbing bags were used to haul the mussels up from the bottom. The population density in the Green River was determined by handpicking in the shallow areas and use of the Aquanaut in the deeper areas. The upstream riffles and most of the shallow pools were easily sampled by wading and pulling the mussels from the substrate by hand. A specified area could be quickly measured and all specimens collected. In the deeper areas, especially in the impounded portion of the river, the Aquanaut was used. Visability was considerably better than in either the Tennessee or Ohio Rivers and collection could be made with relative ease except when a towboat had just passed and stirred up the silt on the bottom. The square yards to be sampled were determined in the same manner as in the Ohio River. Samples of various commercially valuable shells were collected and periodically returned to the Murray State University Biology Laboratory for study. The left valve was used for consistency in taking all data. They were first scrubbed with detergent to remove all traces of mud and debris, dried in a dessicating oven, weighed, measured and aged. Weights were determined to the nearest one-tenth of a gram on either an Ohaus dial-o-gram' balance or an Ohaus 1000 electronic balance, measurement was made along the long axis to the nearest millimeter and age determination was made by the method described by Iseley (1914), Grier (1922), Howard (1922), and Chamberlain (1931). A bright light was projected throuj1;h the shell from the nacre side and the number of annuli were counted. A split -image rangefinder was used to measure distance from shore or from a particular point when needed. Data were computed by use of IBM equipment including Model 26 and 29 card punch machines, Model 1442 card reader, Model1l30 computer and Model1l32 printer. When the project was first begun, some difficulty was encountered in aging the shells. If mussels are disturbed by some physic.al change such as being moved in their normal habitat,

16 a sudden influx of abnormally warm or cold water or long periods of exceptional turbidity during the normal growing season, they may lay down false annuli. After several days of working with the shells it became fairly easy to distinguish the false from the true annuli. Several sources were utilized in identification and classification of the mussels collected. The authors of the major publications are listed below. Baker, 1898,1928 Goodrich, 1932 Murray and Leonard, 1962 Nee!, 1941 Ortmann, 1911, 1919, 1926 and Walker, 1922 Simpson, 1900 Stansbery,

17 DISCUSSION The Tennessee River below Kentucky Dam Brail Sampling Brail sampling was carried out on the entire length of the Tennessee River below Kentucky Dam. Samples were taken from 30. to 150 feet from each bank and from the middle of the river. During this sampling, a total of 212 drags were made of which 93 were made on the east bank, 60 in the channel and 59 on the west bank. The reason for the greater number of drags on the east bank was a greater density of shells in this area. Table 1 shows all mussels (including Corbiula fluminea) collected in the Tennessee River by brailing, by area, total and percent of total. A total of 3,046 domestic shells were taken by brail sampling. Of this total, 1,673 or 54.9 percent were taken on the east bank, 944 or 31.0 percent in the channel and 429 or 14.1 percent on the west bank. Eighteen Genera and 22 Species of mussels have been identified in these collections. Tables 2, 3, 4 and 5 show the areas sampled, the numbers of commercially valuable mussels taken at each area and the percentage of each species. The numbers of Corbicula fluminea (approximately 40 percent) taken were some indication of the abundance of this exotic species in the river but hardly indicative of what the dredge samples were to show as will be discussed later. A list of scientific and common names of all mussels taken both in the lake and tailwaters is in Table 6. If Corbicula fluminea is excluded from the data, economically valuable shells which include Fusconaia ebenus, Pleurobema corda tum, Amblema costata, Megalonaias gigantea, Quadrula quadrula, Quadrula pustulosa, Quadrula metanevra, Quadrula cylindrica, Plagiola Lineolata, Plethobasus cyphus, Tritogonia verrucosa, Ptychobranchus fasciolare and Ligumia recta comprise almost 80 percent of the domestic shells taken. The remaining 20 percent were made up on unsalable white shells for which there' is no demand because of size or quality and pinks. The pinks are shells in which the nacre varies in color from salmon through purplish pink. Of the group of economically valuable shells, only Fusconaia ebenus, Pleurobema cordatum, Ambleme costata, Quadrula quadrula and Megalonaias gigantea were in sufficient numbers to be considered in the commercial musselman's catch. These five species made up approximately 85 percent of the tqtal domestic catch. The two most economically important species, Fusconaia ebenus and Pleurobema corda tum comprised almost 28 percent of the total shells taken. They were in greater abundance than any other species with the exception of Corbicula fluminea. Corbicula fluminea is an exotic species that was first taken in the Tennessee River about By 1961, this species had become well established in the Tennessee River. (Sinclair and Isom, 1961), (Sinclair and Ingram, 1961). The Asiatic clam is a nuisance mollusc because of clogging intakes, heat exchangers and condenser tubes.it is good for animal food and fish bait. (Orsanco, 1966). If it is exluded from the data, Fusconaia ebenus and Pleurobema 9

18 cordatum make up 47.1 percent of thc total shells and 58 percent of the commercially vlauable shells. Mussels are fairly abundant from just below Kentucky Dam at mile 22 to approximately mile 10 although shells were taken in practically all the rest of the river to the mouth with sbme few areas being more productive than others. The bottom type is probably the greatest contributing factor to the decline in numbers of mussels below mile 10. From the dam at mile 22.4 to mile 10, the bottom consists of rocks, rubble, gravel sand and silt whereas from mile 10 to the mouth of the river this gives way mostly to silt, mud. decaying leaves and debris. This may be attributed to the gradual slowing of the river as it nears the mouth where much of the silt load is dropped to the bottom. Both Isom (1966) and Scruggs (1960) state that most mussels prefer rubble, gravel and sand to silt and mud. Coker, et. al. (1921) states that young mussels require a very delicately balanced habitat. but that older mussels may live and even thrive in an area where the young cannot survive. There are two areas in the entire 22.4 mile length of the river below Kentucky Dam where at least a few mussels were not taken by brail. These areas were the west bank from approximately mile 15 to mile 6, and only scattered individuals from mile 0 to mile 3. The area from mile 0 to mile 3 is understandably devoid of mussels because the bottom is composed of a mixture of fine silty mud and decaying organic debris and leaves. The other area (mile 6 to mile 15) has a fairly good bottom type, especially from mile 10 to mile 15. The absence of living mussels begins immediately below the chemical manufacturing complex at Calvert City, Kentucky. Whether or not this contributed to the death of the mussels is not known since water quality studies were not performed. It is not possible in most of the river to designate where one bed ends and another begins. With the exception of the areas mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the entire river could be considered as one continuous bed with some areas more sparsely populated than others. Only the areas very near the banks where the water was less than eight feet deep failed to produce mussels on every drag that was made for a reasonable distance. 10

19 Dredge Sampling Dredge sampling was made at 74 stations in the Tennessee River. Three samples were taken at each mile marker from mile 0 through mile 22 (except mile 2 where only two samples were taken) for a total of 68. The remaining 6 were taken on the west and east banks at mile 1.5, 1.8 and 2.4. These were all in or near the chutes flowing around Cuba Towhead Island. Of thse 74 areas, 26 were on the west bank, 22 in the channel and 26 on the east bank. Nine of those taken on the west bank (mile 6 through mile 14) were done on April 29, This was the area in which no living shells had been taken by brail and it was decided to wait until spring flooding was past to see whether or not young shells had come into the area. Table 7 shows the areas sampled by dredge, species composition, numbers and percentages of totals by species. The area from mile 6 through mile 14 on the west bank has been omitted and is shown in Table 8 to emphasize the numbers of relic and living shells. Again omitting Corbicula fluminea 14.7 percent of the domestic shells were taken on the west bank, 16.6 percent in the channel and 68.7 percent on the east bank. Of the total number, 68.2 percent were Fusconaia ebenus and Pleurobema cordatum, and economically valuable shells constituted 82 percent of the total number. The remaining percentages and numbers of species per square yard are shown in Table 9. If the Asiatic clam had been included in the figures, a very one sided picture would be shown since they made up percent of the total number of shells taken by dredge. Numbers of Corbicula fluminea in individual sampling areas varied from 17 to 1,147 individuals per square yard. The dredge samples taken from mile 6 to mile 14 on the west bank were very carefully checked for living shells. As shown in Table 8, all were relic shells from mile 8 through mile 14. A total of 68 relic shells were taken. This indicates that 'at some time in the past there was a good population of shells in this area. All shells appeared to be in nearly the same stage of decomposition so it is possible that all died within a short period of time. Age and Growth The method used in aging shells has been described previously under methods and materials. Species used in this phase of the work were Fusconaia ebenus, Pleurobema cordatum, Quadmla quadmla, Amblema costata, and Megalonaias gigantea. The data calculated from these specimens are shown in Plates 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. It is evident from the tables that it takes a considerable period of time for most of these species to reach harvestable size (63.5 mm.). It was not possible to calculate the age at which one species reached harvestable size because no specimens of Megalonaias gigantea were collected less than 17 years of age. In the remaining four species, the age at which harvestable size was reached varied from 8 years for Quadrula quadmla and Amblema costata to 14 years for Pleuro bema corda tum.

20 The chart below shows the percentage of legal size mussels taken and the age at which legal size was reached. AGE AT WHICH LEGAL SIZE REACHED PERCENTAGE OF LEGAL SIZE MUSSELS TAKEN Fusconaia ebenus 11 Pleurobema corda tum 14 Quadrula quadrula 8 Amblema costata Histograms showing the number of individuals in each age group are.shown in Plates 7, 8, 9, 10 and ll. Recruitment and Reproduction Various fishes were collected throughout the project and checked for glochidial infesta tion. As shown in Table 10, the incidence of infestation in fishes was fairly high ( approximate. Iy 15 percent) but there were only a few glochidia in the individuals that were infested. The reason for this low number of glochidia in fishes is not known since many gravid mussels were taken by brail. The same phenomenon was observed by Scruggs (1960) when attempting to find glochidia of Pleurobema spp. in Wheeler Reservoir. According to Scruggs (op. cit.) only 27 individual fishes of 613 or 4.4 percent were parasitized. Coker, et. al. (1921) found only 8.9 percent of 3,671 fishes were parasitized by glochidia but the average number of glochidia ranged from 1 to 416, with a mean of 125. Surber (1913) examined 5 specimens of Alosa chrysochloris, the river herring and found glochidia of Fusconaia ebenus ranging from 1,895 to 3,740 per fish. No living domestic mussels were taken either by brail or dredging that were less than four years of age. Again, it is known why there has been no recent recruitment in the beds. It is possible that the bed characteristics have changed and as Coker (1921) states, young mussels are extremely susceptible to changes in habitat. Another possibility is that fishes are not becoming infested with glochidia and therefore very few young mussels are being dropped in the beds. The latter is the most plausible reason since there is evidence that few fishes are infested with glochidia and the numbers of glochidia in each infested fish are so small they are insignificant. The tables demonstrate what happens to mussel beds when they have been intensively harvested. The two species that are most economically important to the musselmen, (Fusconaia ebenus and Pleuroberna cordaturn) show the majority of shells remaining in the beds to be undersize. Fusconaia ebenus demonstrates this more clearly, since a larger sample was taken. Of the 314 specimens examined, 237 or percent were 12

21 undersized. Age composition studies of Fusconaia ebenus are shown in Table 11. To facilitate comparison, age frequencies are grouped in successive three year intervals. The dominant strength in the beds was composed of survivors which orginiated during the years 1957 through Over 84 percent of the specimens were 12 years of age or younger. The majority of all shells checked with the exception of Amblema costata and Megalonaias gigantea were undersize. One puzzling aspect of the brail and dredge samples was no young Megalonaias gigantea were taken. The youngest specimen was 17 years of age. During the fall, several gravid females were collected with almost mature glochidia in the marsupia. No explanation can be given as to why the reproductive process is not carried through, since three of the fishes which carry the glochidia Aplodinotus grunniens, the drum, Anguilla bostoniensis, the eel, and Dorosoma cepedianum, the gizzard shad are very common in all large streams of the Ohio River drainage basin. Harvest The only buyer on the lower Tennessee River during 1966 was the Tennessee Shell Company of Camden, Tennessee. According to the report submitted to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, this company purchased 225,503 pounds of shells from the Marshall County, Kentucky area of the Tennessee River below Kentucky Dam. The purchase price was $1l0.00 per ton and the majority of the shells were Fusconaia ebenus, Pleurobema cordatum, Quadrula quadrula, Quadrula pustulosa, and Megalonaias gigantea. Only sporadic musseling has been going on in this area since January,

22 The Kentucky Portion of Kentucky Lake Brail Sampling Brail sampling of Kentucky Lake proved to be quite different from sampling in the river. There was insufficient current so all muleing was done by outboard motor. Many relic shells were found on the banks at various areas, most of which were Corbicula fluminea, Quadrula quadrula, Leptodea fragilis and Leptodea laevissima. Occasionally relics of Megalonaias gigantea, Obliquaria reflexa, Truncilla donaciformis, Anodonta imbecilis and Elliptio crassidens were found. Many of these relic shells were piled near logs or stumps where they had been dropped by raccoons or muskrats. The relic Quadrula quadrula varied in age from 1 to 15 years. Many of these exhibited little or no erosion or deterioration and therefore had been dead only a short period of time. This is in agreement with the findings of Bates (1962), who stated that Quadrula quadrula are invading the virgin shallows of Kentucky Lake. This species appears to be much more adaptable to a variety of bottom. types than the other commercially valuable mussels. Numerous brail hauls.were made near these banks where abundant relic shells were found and only one Quadrula quadrula and one Truncilla donaciformis were collected. One large Quadrula quadrula, severalleptodea fragilia and Leptodea laevissima were collected by hand in a shallow cove. According to most publications on mussels, it is normal for the individuals to be current oriented. The shells collected by hand were not oriented in anyone direction. They seemed to be rather indiscriminate in their position. In interviews with commercial fishermen and local residents, it was learned that when the lake was drastically dropped a few years ago, many of the shallow cove bottoms were exposed. According to their reports, there were several extremely large Quadrula quadrula scattered on the bottoms of these coves. They also stated these shells were facing in all directions. Again, this may be attributed to lack of current, however, in observing beds of shells in rivers with good current, not all mussels are current oriented but may be facing in almost any direction. It is evident from all the brail drags made in the shallow areas that the mussels are at best only scattered individuals. No beds, as such, were found in less than 50 to 60 feet of water. Prior to brailing in the lake, several musselmen who had worked these beds before the lake was impounded, were interviewed. The preimpoundment beds were marked as nearly as possible on maps and brail drags were made on these areas. The beds found in this study as to location by mile point are shown in Table 12. A total of seven domestic species were collected on these drags. They were Fusconaia ebenus, Pleurob.ema cordatum, Quadrula quadrula, Quadrula pustulosa, Obliquaria reflexa, Amblema costata, and Megalonaias gigantea. In addition to these 14

23 domestic shells, hundreds of small Corbicula fluminea 2 to 5 mm. in size were dragged up on organic debris clinging to the crowfeet. When comparing mussels from the lake with those taken in the tailwaters, there is little significant difference in comparable age groups. Most of the domestic shells in the lake are older than 13 years. This indicates little recruitment in the beds. While brailing the lake, musselmen were checked periocally for numbers of various species of shells. The shells were counted and percentages were calculated. Megalonaias gigantea made up 55 to 75 percent, Quadrula quadrula 20 to 35 percent and Amblema costata, Quadrula pustulosa, Fusconaia ebenus, Pleurobema cordatum and Obliquaria reflexa made up the remaining 5 to 10 percent. One item of interest that may be noted here is the absence of pinks in all samples taken or observed in the musselmen's camp. It is very probable that these forms are not silt tolerant and have become extinct in these areas. The preimpoundment beds in what is now the Kentucky Lake portion of the Tennessee River had apparently the same species composition as the present tailwaters beds according to the interviews previously mentioned, Bates (1962) and Van der Schalie (1939). Since the impoundment, only two species, Megalonaias gigantea and Quadrula quadrula have exhibited an ability to survive under apparent adverse conditions. At the present time, those portions of Kentucky Lake in Kentucky have a deposit of silty mud in the channel that ranges from 2 to 4 feet in depth. Evidently, the mussels in the old beds have survived by working their way up through this mud as it was deposited. The remaining domestic shells were less able to adapt to these silt deposits and are slowly dying out. According to the findings of this study, it is doubtful if the beds would replenish themselves as the present inhabitants grow old and die, even if commercial musseling was not carried out. Bates (1962) states, the individuals in the bed of the old river channel are doomed to slow extinction. In his study, he found no evidence of recruitment in the old beds. Dredge Sampling Dredge sampling was attempted many times in the lake and at several locations without success. When the dredge was dropped, it sank into the substrate and no mussels, either living or relic, were taken at any time. It is believed that the mussels are so scattered in the beds that the chance of picking them up in a dredge is negligible. This is borne out by watching the musselmen brail the lake. They brailed over a known bed, making a drag at least three times as great a distance as the musselmen in the tailwaters. When they raised their brails, they would have fewer shells than the normal drag produced in the tailwaters. 15

24 Age and Growth Age and growth has already been discussed to some extent under brailing. Practically all domestic mussels taken in the lake were of marketable size with the exception of Obliquaria reflexa and Quadmla pustulosa. This is due to the lack of recruitment in beds and almost all mussels taken are more than 13 years of age. Recruitment and Reproduction Normal reproductive activity is taking place in the lake as far as can be determined. During late fall and winter, several female Megalonaias gigantea were opened and found to be gravid with normal appearing, swollen marsupia. In late spring, gravid Quadrula quadrula, Fusconaia ebenus and Pleurobema cordatuum were noted in the musselmen's catches. Bates (1962) states: Although normal reproductive activity is apparent, it appears that the factors effected by the lotic to lentic transition, that is, increased hydrostatic pressure, rehotactile deprivation, increased siltation, possible decrease in oxygen tension, etc.;. along with possible changes in fish host availability, may have doomed to slow extinction the pre impoundment assemblage of species inhabiting the 'old' river channel. Probably the greatest factor is the siltation since young mussels are very sensitive to habitat changes. Even Quadrula quaadrrula, with its wide range of substarate selections, shows no recent recruitment in the old beds. Harvest No musseling was done in the Kentucky portion of Kentucky Lake until spring, 1967, so there are no available figures on harvest. Some estimates were made of the daily catches of men working in the lake. A good day's catch appeared to be 300 to 500 pounds. A few weeks after musseling began, their catch began to fall off and by late April, less than half a dozen boats were working the lake.

25 Sampling The Ohio River project was begun on July 1, 1967 and completed June 30, Brail and SCUBA sampling were carried out on 664 miles of the river beginning at mile 317.0, just below the mouth of the Big Sandy River in the vicinity of Cattlettsburg, Kentucky and ending at mile 981 near Cairo, Illinois. Samples were taken from all beds found in this portion of the river and the final field collection was made on October 13, For the first few days, the water in the Ohio River below mile was extremely turbid and covered with floating debris due to recent heavy rains. Visability was reduced to. such an extent that diving had to be curtailed until the water became clearer. The first bed was found at mile on the Ohio Side of the river, but mussels were relatively scarce in this area. The first bed with enough mussels to be considered commercially valuable was found on the Kentucky side at mile 344.2, beginning at Rocky Run Light and continuing to mile Good beds continued from this point to approximately mile 430. These beds were in water from 18 to 37 feet deep. This area is between two of the high level dams, Greenup Dam at mile 341 and Captain Anthony Meldahl Dam at mile The depth at which mussel beds were found increased as progress was made downstream. Both of these dams retain a 30 foot head of water behind them and Meldahl impoundment replaces numbers 30, 31, 32, 33 and 34 of the old low level dams. The next high level dam downstream is Markland Dam at mile It retains a head of 35 feet.of water and replaces low level dams number 35, 36,37,38 and 39. From mile 430, six miles above Meldahl Dam to mile at Markland Dam the beds were scattered, had few mussels and showed indications of being relic populations only. No recruitment was noted from mile 430 to Markland Dam since the water behind the dam was impounded. In a 64 mile length of the river from mile 460 to 524, no beds were found despite intensive brailing and diving. It is possible that beds had been established in some of the relatively shallow areas of this impoundment (15 to 30 feet), but due to an accident in early 1967, several barges broke loose from their moorings and jammed the gates of Markland Dam, dropping the water level to such an extent that navigation of towboats above the dam was impossible. This would have exposed the beds and since the water level remained at this low point for several days, the mussels probably would have died. Through personal interviews with people who lived in this area upstream from Markland Dam, it was established that many mussels did die in the exposed areas. It is not known whether any commercially valuable species were killed in the exposed areas because the people interviewed were not familiar with the various species. The deepest bed was found in 55 feet of water just above Markland Dam. Mussels in this bed were scattered and covered with mud. The beds above the high level dams such as Markland and Meldahl were probably established in areas approximately the same depth as 17

26 those in unimpounded areas and when the additional water was impounded, the mussels survived in the original beds. If the habitat remains favorable, additional beds will probably become established in the shallow areas at some time in the future above these high level dams. Another factor affecting the mussel populations in this area is the pollution from the area around Cincinnati, Ohio. This will be further discussed.under the heading of pollution. Several additional high level dams are either proposed or under construction downstream from Louisville, Kentucky. It may be assumed that the presently established beds will survive this additional impoundment and there will be a probability of new beds being established in the inundated areas. Other factors contributing to the destruction and/or depletion of mussel beds are over fishing by commercial musselmen, dredging and shifting sand bars. From personal observation, most commercial musselmen will brail over a bed as long as it is economically feasible. In many cases, this will reduce the adult population to a point that few breeding age mussels are left and as a result, it may take years for a bed to recover. Commercial musselmen sometimes keep undersize mussels in their boat until they are finished with the day'sbrailing and then discard them all at once. This discarding is usually not done over the mussel bed and many of the you'!g are dead or dying from being out of the water too long. Enforcement of regulations'coricerning this practice has almost stopped this keeping of young mussels since it is stated that young or undersize mussels must be returned to the water at once. Sand and gravel and channel dredges are responsible for the destruction of many mussel beds. Mussels prefer sand and gravel areas and when this material is dredged up, the mussels are killed as they go through the washers and separator screens. No mussel beds were found in the channel proper for obvious reasons. When a dredge clears a channel, they pump the dredged material toward the bank, sometimes covering at least part of a mussel bed. If this bottom material is in great abundance, it will cover the bed to such a dpth the mussels cannot move up through it and consequently, they will suffocate. These channel dredges are also used to shift the channel from one site to another. When this happens, if a bed is in the path of the new channel site, it is destroyed. Shifting sand bars are a natural source of danger for mussels. These bars shift from year to year with spring flooding. Several areas were checked in the lower reaches of the river and the depth of water, according to charts that were two years old, had changed from nine feet to less than two feet over large areas, usually below dams or in beds of the river. In areas where known beds existed, the beds were brailed enough to get a valid sample. In other areas, where the habitat looked favorable, brail drags were made at various distances from the bank and in many cases, new beds were discovered. The Ohio river was divided into six sections to determine whether or not differences existed in species composition and length and weight compared to age. These areas and the IS

27 miles included in each are shown in table 13. A map of the Ohio River showing the location of beds was to be included in this report, but due to the extreme length of river worked, this was impractical. Instead, the location of beds as to mile point and area are listed in table 14. These mile points are taken from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Navigation Charts of the Ohio River. A total of 31 species of 23 genera were collected throughout the river. These are listed in table 15. Carunculina parva and Corbiculafluminea are not included in the calculations of percentages and totals of the various sections. The specimens of C. parva were hand picked in muddy areas near the bank and are included only in the species list. The reason for not including C. fluminea in the calculations is that it is an exotic species and has little economic value other than as fish bait. It is also possible that they crowd out domestic species when they become established in beds in large enough numbers. Individuals of this species were collected by brail in areas III and VI. In area III, 11 individuals were collected and in area VI, 156 individuals. Those in area VI were found below the mouth of the Cumberland River at mile with the greatest numbers being collected below the mouth of the Tennesse River. Evidently some limnological factor in the Tennessee River is very conducive to reproduction of this species. The fact that none were collected in areas I, II, IV and V is in no way indicative of absence of C. fluminea in these areas. Specimens were observed on sand and gravel dredges and in the SCUBA operations in these areas but none were collected by brailing. Corbiculn fluminea has previously been reported from the Ohio River near Paducah, Kentucky at mile 935 by Sinclair and Isom (1961), Metropolis, Illinois at mile 943 by Fechtner (1962), Ghent, Kentucky at mile 538 and Dayton, Kentucky at mile 468 by Stein (1962), above Cincinnati, Ohio at mile by Keup, Horning and Ingram (1963) and latest evidence indicates it has reached as far as Marietta, Ohio at mile 172, ORSANCO (1966). Approximately 35 percent of the mussels collected in one bed 10 miles down stream from Paducah, Kentucky were C. fluminea. It may be noted that the beds are closer together in the upper areas of the river than in the lower. This is probably due to the leveling out of the river as it progresses toward the mouth, the resultant dropping of silt load and lack of suitable habitat. During the field work, samples of the various species collected were cut open, cleaned and the left valve returned to the Murray State University laboratory for age, length and weight studies. These various species, showing numbers of individuals per area and total numbers with percentages of total are shown in table 16. They are further broken down showing numbers per species of the commercially valuable shells, percentage of area and percentage of total in each area in tables 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23. Prior to age, length and weight studies, all shells were scrubbed with strong detergent and a stiff brush. This was required to remove the large amounts of debris accumulated on the periostracum layer of the shell. Practically all shells throughout the area studied had 19

28 some sort of debris on the outer surface. This material varied from a substance resembling a mixture of coal dust and oil in areas I and II to compacted silt in areas III, IV, V and VI. Aging was virtually impossible until this material was removed. After scrubbing the shells, they were dried in a desiccating oven to remove all traces of moisture. Weight was determined in grams using an Ohaus 1000 electronic balance; age was ascertained by projecting a light through the shell and counting the annuli and lengths were take.n in millimeters. All the data taken on the above mentioned individuals were punched on date processing cards on IBM 26 and 29 card punch machines. These cards were fed into an IBM punch card reader Model 1442, computed on a Model 1130 computer and the data printed on a Model 1132 printer. These machines calculated the average lengths and weights for the various age groups of each species used in the study. The program used in processing the data cards was worked out in conjunction with Dr. Louis Beyer of the Murray State University Physics Department. After careful study of the computer charts, seven species were chosen for intensive age, length and weight studies. They were Qadrula quadrula, Quadrula metanevra, Fusconaia ebenus, Pleurobema corda tum, Pleurobema pyramidatum, Amblema costata and Megalonaias gigantea. The reason these were chosen was because they were the only species abundant.enough with legal size specimens among the economically valuable mussels. Four other species, Quadrula pustulosa, Obliquaria reflexa, Quadrula nodulata and EUiptio crassidens were in sufficient numbers, but the first three had too few legal size individuals to be significant and the fourth, E. crassidens has pink nacre and is therefore not economically valuable. The seven species chosen for the study made up the percentages shown in the chart below. AREA I n III IV V VI TOTAL PERCENT OF TOTAL SHELLS PERCENT OF COMMERCIALL Y VALUABLE SHELLS Histograms showing the number of individuals in each age group of each area and the total river studies are shown in plates 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18.

29 Quadrula quadrula was the most abundant in the total numbers and also in areas I, II and V, Fusconaia ebenus was the most abundant species in areas IV and VI and Amblema costata was most abundant in area III. The following chart shows the relative abundance of the various species by area and by total numbers collected. RELATIVE ABUNDANCE OF SPECIES BY AREA AND TOTALS AREA I n III IV V VI TOTAL SPECIES Quadrula quadrula Quudrula metunevra Pleurobema cordatum Pleurobemapyramidatum Fusconaia ebenus (3 4) 1 2 Amblema costata (3 4) 2 3 Megalonaias gigantea Age and Growth The seven species of mussels used in this phase of the work have been previously listed. The chart below lists the percentages of legal size mussels taken in each area and of the total numbers taken in this study. PERCENTAGE OF LEGAL SIZE MUSSELS TAKEN AREA I n III VI V IV TOTAL Quadrulaa quadrula Quadrula metanevra Pleurobema cordatum Pleurobema pyramidatum Fusconaia ebenus Amblema costata Megalonaias gigantea

30 The majority of beds checked had not been musseled recently and this' probably accounts for the high percentage of legal size individuals. When checking beds where commercial musseling was active, a larger percentage of undersize musseis were collected per unit of effort. This is best illustrated by comparing the above figures with those of the Tennessee and Green Rivers. The length and weight graphs by age groups are shown in plates 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25. These show some unexplainable dips in both length and weight in the older mussels, especially in the age weight relationships of Amblema costata and Megalonaias gigantea. This could be due to unfavorable conditions that occurred during the time these individuals were small and caused stunting of the young mussels. The ages at which the various commercially valuable species reached legal size by area.and total are shown in the following chart. Amblema costata and Megalonaias gigantea have been purposely omitted because all M. gigantea collected were of legal size and only three A. costata were under legal size. AGE AT WHICH LEGAL SIZE REACHED AREA I II III IV V VI TOTAL Quadrulnquadruln Quadruln metanevra Pleurobema cordatum Pleurobema pyramidatum Fusconaia ebenus

31 Sampling by Diving A total of U8 square yards were sampled in the 664 miles worked on the Ohio River. The number of mussels per square yard ranged from 1.33 to With an average of The most heavily populated bed (10.13 per square yard) was found at mile 879.5, just upstream from Cave in Rock, Illinois, on the Illinois side. This bed yielded 6.38 or 62.9 percent Megalonaias gigantea per square yard. The total number of species taken by diving and percentages of each are shown in table 24. According to what was learned from diving, the brail is a relatively selective device. The above mentioned bed was found in a mixture of rubble, gravel and silt; and when a brail drag was made across it, only 4 (5.63 percent) M. gigantea were taken. This could have resulted from a number of factors including inability of the mussels to hold onto the brail hook tightly enough to be pulled from the substrate, the valves not being open wide enough to permit entry of the brail hook or the valves not closing rapidly enough to catch the hook. The brail also failed to catch representative samples of mussels in areas where large rocks protruded from the bottom. This was due to bouncing of the brail off the bottom which prevented the hooks from dragging over the mussels. Several of these beds in large rocks yielded fair numbers of mussels in diving, but few were taken by brail. It is the opinion of the investigating team that diving for mussels commercially could be detrimental to mussel beds. A bed could be completely stripped of legal size mussels in a relatively short time by a competent diver if average visability conditions persisted. 23

32 Recruitment and Reproduction Gravid females of Quadro/n quadro/n, Quadro/n metanevra, Pleurobema corda tum, Pleurobema pyramidatum and Fusconaia ebenus were found in the months worked throughout the summer. Females of Amblema costata and Megalonaias gigantea were showing evidence of being gravid in late September and October. During age and growth studies, it was possible to determine the age at which mussels reached sexual maturity by a difference in the placement of growth rings. Annuli laid down prior to sexual maturity are relatively wide apart and are very distinct. As sexual maturity is reached, the annuli are placed closer together and are less easy to distinguish due to the slowing of the growth rate. By this distinctive characteristic, it was found that Quadro/n quadro/n and Quadro/n metanevra mature at 7 to 9 years of age, Pleurobema cordatum, Pleurobema pyramidatum and Fusconaia ebenus at 9 to 13 years of age, Amblema costata at 5 to 7 years of age and Megalonaias gigantea at 4 to 7 years of age. In almost all beds sampled, young mussels were collected by brailing. These ranged down to two years of age in many cases. In some of the beds in area VI, undersize mussels of several species outnumbered legal size individuals by a considerable margin. Some of these beds were found below large sand bars and it is possible the older mussels in the original bed have been covered by shifting sand and the young are establishing new beds in nearby areas. As far as is known, these beds have not been commercially musseled for several years, therefore, over musseling would not be the cause of decline of older individuals. 24

33 Harvest According to reports turned in by the commercial musselmen to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Frankfort, Kentucky, the Ohio River harvest for 1967 totaled 838,252 pounds of shells valued at $50, The majority of these shells (69.19 percent) were Fusconaia ebenus with 579,991 pounds valued at $35, Mixed shells and Amblema costata made up percent of the remainder and were valued at $13, During the field work portion of the Ohio River subproject, four separate groups of commercial musselmen were encountered. These were employees of Mr. John Latendresse of Camden, Tennessee, between miles 401 and 430, a Mr. Garrison from Alabama between miles 445 and 459, another group from Decatur, Alabama, between miles 658 and 680 and employees of Mr. Brown of Rochester, Kentucky, between miles 760 and 786. Assuming that valid brail samples were taken during the field work of this project, a considerable differential exists in the species composition submitted by commercial musselmen and the species composition of brail and SCUBA sampling by the investigators. The figures are given in the following charts. HARVEST REPORTS SUBMITTED BY COMMERCIAL MUSSELMEN FOR THE Pigtoe 1.67% Niggerhead 69.19% Mixed Shells 17.42% 3-Ridge 10.04% Wartyback 1.67% PERCENT OF BRAIL SAMPLING BY PROJECT PERSONNEL IN THE MILE Pigtoe Niggerhead Mixed Shells 3-Ridge Wartyback AVERAGE One possible cause of the difference is size limit, however, in those areas sampled by the project crew, the economically valuable mussels varied from 77 to 83 percent within the legal size limit. Also, from actual observation of the catches of commercial musselmen, it is estimated that Quadrula quadrula made up 20 to 40 percent of economically valuable shells taken. No reason can be forwarded at this time as to why these discrepancies exist between the commercial figures and the Mussel Fishery Investigation figures.

34 Green River Sampling The Green River subproject included 306 miles from the Green and Taylor County line to the mouth near Henderson, Kentucky, where it flows into the Ohio River. Field work was begun on July 1, 1968 at the Green Taylor County line and completed October 20, 1968 at mile zero. The large boat described under Methods and Materials was used from Dam 4, Woodbury, Kentucky at mile 149 to the mouth of the river and the small boat on the remaining 179 miles upstream from Dam 4. Because of differences in type of habitat, the 306 miles of the river studied were divided into three areas. Area I is the portion from the Green-Taylor County line to the last riffle downstream which is just inside the east boundary of Mammoth Cave National Park, 103 miles; Area II from this riffle to Dam 4 at Woodbury, Kentucky, 54 miles; and Area III from Dam 4 to the mouth of the river, 149 miles. Area I is an alternating riffle - pool type of habitat, Area II is an area of impoundment but has not been used for commercial river traffic since Dam 4 failed in May, 1965 and Area III is heavily used by commercial towboats, primarily moving coal and petroleum products. Sampling in Area I was done by brailing and diving in the pools and by hand picking in the riffles and shallow areas near the bank. Some of the pools were too shallow for brailing and were checked by crawling along the bottom with diving gear. Most of these pools had either solid rock bottom or hard claypan. Since this type bottom is not suitable mussel habitat, only a few individuals that had evidently washed down from the riffle areas were found. These were usually found by diving since they were not in an upright position to be picked up by brai\. Hand picking was the most successful type of sampling in this upper area and over 90 percent of the mussels were collected by this method. Sampling in Area II was by brail and diving with the exception of a one-fourth mile section immediately below Dam 5. Attempts at brailing were unsuccessful except in a few instances and most mussels collected in this area were by diving. Fresh shells taken from piles left by muskrats and raccoons such as those shown in figures 10 and 11 were also used in the study. The section below Dam 5 deserves special discussion. When Dam 4 was destroyed, the water level below Dam 5 dropped approximately six feet. From observations in the riffle area of the upstream portion of the study, it is known that most species of mussels, including the commercially valuable forms, are capable of horizontal movement when necessary_ Due to the large concentration of mussels in the shallow water of this area, it is assumed that many of the mussels left exposed when the water level dropped, moved down into the remaining inundated area. The reason for this assumption is as many as 61 mussels per square yard were found in some of the shallows. The fact that mussels had been in the exposed area was evidenced by many relic shells scattered in the banks formerly covered by 26

35 the impoundment, most of them partially buried in the substrate in the position they are normally found when alive. As observations were made from the shallow to the deeper portion of the river, the number of mussels per square yard decreased, therefore supporting the assumption that the mussels moved to the water from exposed areas. Sampling in Area III was by brail and diving. As in Area II, the only successful brail attempts were made just below dams with only occasional mussels taken in the slack water portions of the river. More than 75 percent of the shells collected in slack water were taken by diving. Most of this area had a heavy silt layer on the bottom and the last 8 miles to the mouth of the river had a soft mud bottom varying from 1 to 2 feet deep. No mussels were found in this stretch of the river. All beds in the impounded areas other than those immediately below dams contained few if any living mussels. The population density of living mussels in these beds varied from o to 1.5 per square yard. The species composition was primarily Megalonaias gigantea and Amblema costata with occasional individuals of Elliptio crassidens, Pleurobema cordatum and Quadrula quadrula. For each living mussel found in these beds, from 6 to 100 with an average of 15 to 20 dead ones were found. Most of these relic shells were embedded in the substrate in the same position as the living ones. Good beds of living mussels were found just below all dams on the river with the exception of Dam 2 at Calhoun, Kentucky. The bottom below Dam 2 was compatible with mussels, being composed of sand, gravel, rubble and rocks and a very good currrent existed, however, intensive brailing and diving failed to collect specimens. It was later learned that when the new Dam 2 was built a few years ago, it was relocated downstream a considerable distance. The material removed from the bottom for the base of the da!ll was placed downstream and probably destroyed any existing beds in the vicinity. Dam 1 is also a relatively new structure and this may account for the small number of species found below it. The following chart best illustrates the differential between each dam. Dam Number Number of Species Number of Individuals Collected

36 A total of 47 species of mussels were taken in the Green River. The species list is shown in table 25, and the total numbers by area and percent of total are shown in table 26. Corbicula fluminea was omitted because it is an exotic species and has no commercial value. Of the 46 native species, 10 were of sufficient quality and quantity to be considered commercially valuable. They are by order of abundance, Megalonaias gigantea, Actinonaias ligamentina, Amblema costata, Pleurobema cordatum, Quadmla quadmla, Ptychobranchus fasciolare, Plagiola lineolata, Pleurobema plenum, Fusconaia undata and Fusconaia ebenus. The numbers of each and percent of commercially valuable catch are shown by area and total river in tables 27, 28, 29 and 30. These 10 species comprise percent of the total mussels taken and percent of all commercially valuable species. In Area I, the pool - riffle habitat, Actinonaias ligamentina was the most abundant species, comprising almost 73 percent of the total commercially valuable shells in this area, followed by Megalonains gigantea and Amblema costata. These three made up 94 percent of the valuable shells. Many of the mussels in this area were badly eroded; in some cases, the entire periostracum layer was missing. The first Corbicula fluminea were found in this area between Munfordville, Kentucky and the Mammoth Cave National Park east boundary. In one riffle, windrows of dead shells, containing thousands of individuals had been washed onto the shore. These ranged in age from young-of-the-year to 2 year olds. The cause of death was not determined but from the appearance of the shells, all seemed to have died at approximately the same time. Living specimens were also found in this area and were relatively common in all the remaining mileage of the river downstream with the exception of the 8 miles of mud bottom area near the mouth. In Area II, Actinonains ligamentina dropped to eighth in abundance. Megalonaias gigantea, Pleurobema cordatum and Quadmla quadmla were the most abundant, comprising 59 percent of the total. It should be noted that practically all the Pleurobema cordatum and Quadmla quadmla collected in: this area were found in the shallow area immediately below Dam 5. Most of the specimens of Actinonains ligamentina were also found in this shallow area. The three most abundant species in Area III were Megalonaias gigantea, Amblema costata and Pleurobema cordatum which made up 87.1 percent of the total. Only two individuals of Actinonaias ligamentina were taken here, indicating it is a shallow water, riffle loving species. Of the total commercially valuable catch, Megalonaias gigantea, Actinonaias ligamentina and Amblema costata comprised 67 percent of all mussels taken. The remaining seven species were found only occassionally in Area I and just below dams in Areas II and III. In the slack water of the impounded areas, only rarely was a species found other than Megalonaias gigantea and Amblema costata. This species was reported from the lower Green River by Bates (1962) but no reports could be found on movement upstream. 2B

37 Age and Growth Age, length and weight of commercially valuable shells collected in the Green River were determined by methods previously described. The numbers of individuals in each age group are shown on plates 7,8,9,10,11,26 and 27. The average lengths and weights by age groups are shown in the graphs on plates 2, 3, 4, 5,6,28 and 29. These graphs indicate that most species in the Green River accrue length and weight at a lesser rate than those in the Tennessee and Ohio Rivers. In all probability, the brine pollution mentioned later in the report has had a stunting effect on the surviving mussels. The charts below list the percentage of legal size commercially valuable mussels from each area and the age at which legal size was reached. PERCENTAGE OF LEGAL SIZE MUSSELS TAKEN AREA I II III SPECIES Megalonaias gigantea Amblema costata Pleurobema corda tum Quadrula quadhtla * Ptychobmnchus fasciolare Plagiola lineolata * Pleurobema plenum * Fusconaia undata * Fusconaia ebenus Actinonaias ligamentina *Denotes no mussels of legal size taken in area

38 AGE AT WHICH LEGAL SIZE REACHED AREA I II III SPECIES Megalonaias gigantea Amblema costata Pleurobema corda tum Quadrula quadrula Ptychobranchus fasciolare Plagiola lineolata Pleurobema plenum Fusconaia undata Fusconaia ebenus Actinonaias ligamentina -Denotes no mussels taken *Denotes all legal size **Denotes none collected of legal size * 9 * 6 ** ** * * * 9 ** 15 * If no other drastic pollution occurs, many areas will eventually be replenished with mussels and a more normal growth pattern may become established. Recruitment and Reproduction Gravid females of all commercially valuable species previously mentioned in this study with one exception were found during the summer field work. The washboard, M. gigantea produces glochidia in late fall and early spring and a few individuals were collected in October that had slightly inflated marsupia. Sexual maturity was reached by the various species at approximately the same age as in the Tennessee and Ohio Rivers even though the Green River individuals were smaller. The Green River had the greatest aplount of recruitment of the three rivers studied. Many young mussels were found in the uptream riffle areas and in the areas just below all dams except Dams 1 and 2. Despite intensive efforts, no young mussels were found in the old beds of the slack water areas. This may be due to the settling of brine pollution or the silt layer found in these areas. Even if the young mussels were able to survive on the surface of the silt, towboats agitate the silt as they pass and it would cover the small individuals as it was redeposited. 30

39 At the present rate of recruitment in the upstream riffle areas and in the areas immediately below Dams 3, 4, 5 and 6, the mussel beds will be replenished within a few years. It is conceivable that good beds may become established below Dams 1 and 2 at some time in the future. There is a little assurance for reestablishing beds in the slack water of the impounded areas since no evidence of recruitment has been noted since Harvest No figures are available for harvest on the Green River for The last reports (1967) were at best sketchy and inaccurate. The major individual species mentioned in the reports from the commercial musselmen were Megalonaias gigantea and Plagiola lineolata. Since the Mussel Fishery Investigation team collected only 87 specimens of P. lineolata, it is doubtful they were ever collected in great numbers by the musselmen. At the present time, the only areas in the portion of the Green River covered in this study where commercial brailing might be profitable is in the area immediately below Dam 6. The beds below Dams 3 and 4 have been depleted by over musseling and the water is not deep enough below Dam 5. 31

40 POLLUTION ASPECTS The portion of the Tennessee River included in this study is relatively unpolluted with one exception. The Kentucky portion of Kentucky Lake has no major municipalities or manufacturing concerns near the shores. A stone quarry loading facility is located in an embayment a short distance above Kentucky Dam but the only pollution from this would be limstone dust. In the Tennessee River below Kentucky Dam, several sites are either actual or potential sources of pollution. Near the mouth of the River are a number of loading and unloading docks for petroleum products and other manufactured goods. Beginning at approximately mile 18, a chemical complex on the west bank of the river extends to mile Some of the products either manufactured or used in these plants are polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride, sulfuric acid, carbide, hydrofluoric acid, calcium hydroxide, acetylene, sodium chlorate, chlorine, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, various refrigerants, organics, etc;. The effluents from these plants total more than 18,000 gallons per minute, Some of which has been used for wash or cooling water. On April 29, 1967, dredge samples were taken from the west side of the Tennessee River beginning at mile 14 and continuing to mile 6. The results of this sampling are shown in table 8. No water quality studies were made on this area during the project to determine what caused the absence of living mussels. Many mussels in the lower Tennessee River are baldies. These are mussels with the periostracum eroded away in the umbone region of the shell. The erosion varies from very slight to extreme as shown in figure 12. Both of these mussels were living Quadrula quadrula collected from the same bed at mile 18.5 on the east side of the river. Many of the mussels with extreme erosion were found to have a bryozoan living on the external surface and the periostracum under the bryozoan was easily scraped off with a fingernail. Whether or not the moss animal is responsible for this loose periostracum is not known. The Ohio River exhibits evidence of pollution at various localities, principally near and downstream from heavily populated and/or industrialized sites. The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) was formed in 1948 to reduce pollution in the Ohio River drainage basin. In the 21 years since it was formed, a tremendous job has been accomplished and the present river has little resemblence to that of the late 1940's. In 1948, only 38 percent of the population on sewers had tr.eatment plants and 1,710 untreated industrial effluents flowed into the Ohio. By 1961, 87 percent of the sewers were on treatment plants and 75 percent of the industrial effluents met acceptable standards. The efforts are continuing. and at present, the waste load is considerably less than in 1961 despite growing populations and industrialization. Despite all efforts, areas such as those near Ashland Cattlettsburg, Kentucky, Portsmouth, Ohio, Cincinnati, Ohio Covington, Kentucky, Louisville, Kentucky and Owensboro. Henderson, Kentucky, pollution still exists. Effluents from both domestic and industrial origin, loading and unloading facilities 32

41 and other sources of pollution are evident both upstream and downstream from these areas. Many locations in and near the metropolitan areas appeared to be suitable habitat for mussels but brail and diving efforts failed to disclose heavily populated beds. In the lengths between the large cities, the Ohio appears to be relatively clean and recruitment in the beds is sufficient to sustain the population. Serious pollution began in the Green River in the spring of 1958 with the opening of the Greensburg, Kentucky oil field. Large amounts of brine were pumped from the field and for several months, this brine flowed into sinkholes, drainageways and ponds that had been hastily dug to hold the waste. Prior to August, 1958, chloride concentrations in the Green River at Munfordville, Kentucky averaged less than 10 parts per million. After development of the Greensburg oil field, chloride concentrations frequently exceeded 1,000 parts per million. During the 1957 water year (October 1, 1956 to September 30, 1957), 10,600 tons of chloride in 1,822,800 acre feet of water were discharged at Munfordville, Kentucky. In the 1958 water year, over 27,000 tons of chloride in 2,548,000 acre feet of water and in the 1959 water year over 305,000 tons in less than half the acre feet of water of the 1958 water year. The daily chloride load of the 1959 water year was more than 830 tons per day. (Krieger and Hendrickson, 1960). Mussels, very sensitive to brine pollution in view of their virtual absence in the polluted section during 1960 and 1961, began the slow process of repopulating the areas which they formerly occupied. Vast numbers of empty mussel shells littering the riffles of Green River bear mute testimony to their former great abundance. (Charles, 1964). In Area I, mussels have begun to repopulate many of the riffle areas, however, a considerable differential may exist in consecutive riffles. Three riffles in Hart County were within a 600 yard distance of the river. The upper riffle had a population of three to five living mussels per square yard and approximately the same density was found in the third riffle. The middle riffle had no living mussels. All three riffles had sand, gravel and rubble bottoms and approximately the same gradient and depth of water. In the impounded areas it was obvious from both brailing and diving that definite beds do exist or have existed in the past..in some beds examined by diving, the entire population had been destroyed. In others, a few individuals remained alive, primarily Megalonaias gigantea and Amblema costata. These two species were evidently more resistant to the brine pollution than others. In the beds with living mussels, dead ones outnumbered the living by from 6 to 100 with an average of 15 to 20. In these impounded areas, recruitment is taking place as evidenced by the graphs of age distribution. Most of this recruitment is in the areas immediately below dams. This is probably due to the current which kept the brine from settling out and also the high oxygenation of the water caused by the overflow of the dams as shown in figure 14.

42 Thermal pollution is also in the Green River at Paradise, Kentucky caused by the TVA electric generating facility and near Sebree, Kentucky by the Big Rivers Cooperative generating plant. Since the mussel population had been so decimated by the brine pollution before these facilities became operable, the effects of thermal pollution could not be ascertained. The thermal gradient in the river upstream from the Paradise plant is demonstrated by a line of debris extending across the river. This is shown in figures 15 and 16. A third pollution factor is the coal dust scattered on the water in Area III. This dust sinks and is deposited on the periostracum layer of mussels. It is also found in the digestive tract when the soft parts are dissected. Whether or not this is detrimental to the mussels is not known. 34

43 SUMMARY Freshwater mussels were first collected in the late 1800's for the pearl button industry. This continued throughout the major rivers of the Mississippi drainage basin until the 1940's when musseling began to decline due to over exploitation of the beds and the advent of plastics. In the early 1950's, interest in mussels was reawakened by the Japanese who needed freshwater mussels shells to make pearl nucleus pellets. With increased musseling, the populations in beds again began to decline. A three year Mussel Fishery Investigation was instituted by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources on July 1, 1966 on the portions of the Tennessee, Ohio, and Green Rivers that flow in Kentucky. The project was subcontracted to the Murray State University Biological Station, Murray, Kentucky. The Tennessee River subproject includes the Tennessee River from mile 0 at Paducah, Kentucky to mile 22.4 at Kentucky Dam and the portions of Kentucky Lake from mile 22.4 to the Tennessee State Line at mile 62.4 Brait sampling was carried out on the entire length of the tailwaters of the Tennessee River from Kentucky Dam at mile 22.4 to the mouth at mile O. A total of 212 brait samples were taken. Eighteen Genera and 22 Species were identified from these collections. Six species of commercially valuable mussels made up 76 percent of the total domestic shell catch. The greatest abundance of domestic mussels was from mile 22 to mile 10, although the beds extended almost to the mouth of the river. Only two areas failed to produce significant numbers of mussels. They were on the west bank from mile 6 to mile 15 and from mile 0 at the mouth to mile 3. In all the taitwaters except the two above mentioned areas, and along shallow shorelines, the river may be considered one continuous bed. A total of 74 dredge samples were made in the taitwaters and living shells were taken at all areas with the exception of the west bank from mile 8 through mile 14. Corbicula fluminea made up percent of all living shells taken by dredge. Most of the commercially valuable mussels do not reach harvestable size until they are 8 to 13 years of age. Reproductive processes appear to be normal in the tailwaters of the Tennessee River but recruitment for the past four years has been reduced. This may be due to the paucity of host fishes that are being infested with glochidia or the changes in habitat which young mussels cannot tolerate. During 1966, a total of 225,503 pounds of commercially valuable shells were harvested from the tail waters of the Tennessee River with Fusconaia ebenus and Pleurobema cordatum being the dominant species. Brait sampling in Kentucky Lake was carried out in selected areas. The majority of commercially valuable shells found in the old beds in the channel were Megalonaias gigantea 35

44 and Quadrula quadrula. Only Quadrula quadrula has seemingly adapted to this drastic change in environment and has invaded the old fields and coves. The remaining commercial species are probably doomed to slow extinction. From all indications, there is no recruitment in the old beds even though normal reproductive processes are continuing in the adult mussels. The Ohio River subproject included that portion of the Ohio River from mile near Cattlettsburg, Kentucky, to mile at Cairo, Illinois. Brail sampling was carried out the entire 664 miles. A total of 92 separate mussel beds were found containing 31 species of 23 genera. Only one area failed to produce any mussels at all and this was the 64 mile stretch between miles 460 and 524 Seven species of commercially valuable mussels were chosea for intensive study and these made up percent of the total mussels collected and percent of the commercially valuable mussels. A total of 118 square yards were sampled by diving. The numbers of mussels ranged from 1.33 to per square yard with an average of 4.58 During 1967, commercial musselmen harvested 83,252 pounds of shells worth $50, from the Ohio River. The most abundant species according to the report was Fusconaia ebenus which made up percent ofthe total and were valued at $35, Most of the commercially valuable mussels reach harvestable age at 5 to 13 years. Reproductive processes appear to be normal throughout most of the Ohio River and recruitment is progressing at a rate that will probably sustain the beds. The Green River subproject included 306 miles from the Green and Taylor County line to the mouth near Henderson, Kentucky, where it flows into the Ohio River. Because of differences in type of habitat, the river was divided into, three areas; a riffle pool area, an area that is impounded but is no longer open to commercial river traffic and an impounded area that is heavily used by commercial towboats. Sampling was done in Areas I and II by diving, brailing and hand picking and by diving and brailing in Area III. Most of the mussels collected were from riffles in Area I and immediately below dams in Areas II and III. The upper pools and the slack water of impounded areas yielded few specimens and few species. The Green River was heavily polluted by oil field brine beginning in late 1958 and, since mussels are extremely sensitive to chloride, vast numbers were killed. The upstream areas and immediately below dams, where there is good current and high oxygenation, appear to be recovering but no recent recruitment was found in the beds located in the slack water above dams. The most abundant species in the Green River in order of abundance are Megalonaias gigantea, Actinonaias ligamentina and Amblema costata. Actinonaias ligamentina is a riffle loving species and was collected only rarely in the deeper downstream areas. Megalonaias 36

45 gigantea and Amblema costata were evidently more resistant to the brine pollution than other species and a small percentage of these survived in the beds in the lower part of the river. At the present time, the Green River does not have a mussel fauna that is either abundant enough or in sufficient numbers of legal size individuals to support a commercial mussel fishery under current musseling regulations. 37

46 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author wishes to acknowledge the following persons or organizations: Mr. David McMullin for his invaluable assistance in constructing equipment not available from commercial sources. Dr. David Stansbery of the Ohio State University Museum for aid in identifying species and for preparation of a museum collection. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Tennessee Valley Authority personnel of the Locks and Dams of the Tennessee, Ohio and Green Rivers for their excellent cooperation and helpful suggestions. The conservation officers of the various counties along the rivers for information on past commercial musseling efforts in their districts. 38

47 LITERATURE CITED Baker, Frank Collins The Mollusca of the Chicago Area, The Pelecypoda. Bulletin No. III, Part I of the Natural History Survey. The Chicago Academy of Sciences, Chicago, Illinois The Fresh Water Mollusca of Wisconsin, Part II. Pelecypoda. Bulletin No. 70, Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison, Wisconsin. Bates, John M Extension of the Range of Corbicula fluminea 'within the Ohio Drainage. Nautilus, Vol The Impact of Impoundment on the Mussel Fauna of Kentucky Reservoir, Tennessee River. Amer. MidI. Nat. 68 (1). Chamberlain, Thomas K Annual Growth of Fresh Water Mussels. U.S. Bureau of Fisheries Doc. No Washington. Charles, James R Effects of Oilfield Brines. Procedings of the Eighteenth Annual Conference, Southeastern Association of Game and Fish Commissioners. Coker, Robert E Fresh Water Mussels and Mussel Industries of the United States. U.S: Bureau of Fisheries Bulletin, Vol. XXXVI. Washington. Coker, R.E., A.F. Shira, H.W. Clark, and A.D. Howard Natural History and Propagation of Fresh Water Mussels. U.S. Bureau of Fisheries Bulletin, Vol. XXXVII Washington. Fechtner, Frederick R Corbiculafluminea (Muller) from the Ohio River. Nautilus, Vol

48 Goodrich, Calvin The Mollusca of Michigan. Michigan Handbook Series No.5. University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Grier, Norman McDowell Observations on the Rate of Growth of the Lake dwelling Fresh Water Mussels. Amer. MidI. Nat. Vol. 8. Notre Dame Press, Notre Dame, Indiana. Howard, A.D Experiments in the Culture of Freshwater Mussels. U.S. Bur. Fish. Bull., 38: 63 89, Figs Hubbard, H Shantyboat. Dodd, Mead and Co., New York. Isely, Frederick B Experimental Study of the Growth and Migration of Fresh Water Mussels. Appendix III, Report. U.S. Commissioner of Fisheries for Washington. Isom, Billy The Mussel Resources of the Tennessee River. T.V.A., Fish and Wildlife Branch, Norris, Tennessee. Keup, Lowell, W. B. Horning, and William M. Ingram Extension of Range of Asiatic Clam to Cincinnati Reach of the Ohio River. Nautilus, Vol. 77. Krieger, R.A., and G.E. Hendrickson Effects of Greensburg Oilfield Brines on the Streams, Wells and Springs of the Upper Green River Basin, Kentucky. Rept. of Invest. 2, Series X, Ky. Geol. Surv., in coop. U.S. Geol. Surv., 36 pp. Michaux, F.A Travels to the West of the Alleghany Mountains. In: Early Western Travels by R.G. Thwaites. Vol. 3. A.H. Clark Publishing Co., Cleveland, Ohio. Murray, Harold D., and A. Byron Leonard Handbook of Unionid Mussels in Kansas. Misc. Pub. No. 28. University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. 40

49 Nee!, Joe Kendall A Taxono'mic Study of Quadrula quadrula (Rafinesque). Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology, No University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, Michigan. ORSANCO Eighteenth Yearbook Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission, Cincinnati, Ohio. Ortmann, A.E A Monograph of the Naiades of Pennsylvania. Memoirs, Carnegie Museum, Vol. IV, No.6. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania A Monograph of the Naiades of Pennsylvania. Part III. Systematic Account of the Genera and Species. Memoirs, Carnegie Museum Vol. VIII, No. I. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania The Naiades of the Green River Drainage in Kentucky. Memoirs, Carnegie Museum, Vol. XVII, No. I. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Ortmann, A.E. and Bryant Walker On the Nomenclature of Central North American Naiades. Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology, No University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Scruggs Jr., George D Status of Fresh Water Mussel Stocks in the Tennessee River. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Special Scientific Report Fisheries No Washington. Simpson, Charles Torrey Synopsis of the Naiades, or Pearly Fresh Water Mussels. Proccdings, U.S. National Museum, Vol. XXII, No Government Printing Office, Washington. Sinclair, Ralph M., and Billy G. Isom A Preliminary Report on the Introduced Asiatic Clam Corbicula in Tennessee. Tennessee Stream Pollution Control Board, Tennessee Department of Public Health. 41

50 Sinclair, Ralph M., and William Marcus Ingram A New Record for the Asiatic Clam in the United States, the Tennessee River. Nautilus, Vol. 74. Stansbery, David H The Naiad Fauna of the Green River at Munfordville, Kentucky. Annual Reports for 1965 of the American Malacological Union. Stein, Carol B An Extension of the Range of the Asiatic Clam Corbicula fluminea (Miller) in the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Ohio Journal of Science, Vol. 62. Van der Schalie, H Additional Notes on the Naiades (Fresh-water Mussels) of the Lower Tennessee River. Amer. Midi. Nat. Vol. 22. Williams, John C The Biology of the Silver Chub, Hybopsis storeriana (Kirtland) in the Ohio River Basin. Unpublished thesis. 42

51 APPENDIX Tables 1-30, Plates 1-29, Figures

52 TABLE 1 BRAIL SAMPLES TENNESSEE RIVER Total Catch SPECIES WEST BANK CHANNEL EAST BANK TOTAL PERCENT OF TOTAL Corbicula fluminea , Fusconaia ebenus Pleurobema cordatum Amblema costata Cyclonaias tuberculata Quadrula quadrula Quadrula pustulosa Quadrula pustulata Quadrula metanerva Quadrula cylindrica Megalonaias gigantea Plagiola lineolata IElliptio cmssidens IElliptio dilatatus Obliquaria reflexa Proptem alata Tritogonia verrucosa Plethobasus cyphyus Lampsilis ovata Ligumia recta Ptychobmnchus fasciolare nodonta imbecilis rotals 891 1,880 2,346 5,117 44

53 TABLE 2 TENNESSEE RIVER BRAIL SAMPLES, Commercially Valuable Species WEST BANK SPECIES TOTAL PERCENT PERCENT OF NUMBER OF AREA TOTAL CATCH Fusconaia ebenus Pleurobema cordatum !lmblema costata Quadrula quadrula no Megalonaias gigantea TOTAL 276 TABLE 3 TENNESSEE RIVER BRAIL SAMPLES, Commercially Valuable Species CHANNEL SPECIES TOTAL PERCENT PERCENT OF. NUMBER OF AREA TOTAL CATCH Fusconaia cbcnus ll.5 Plenrobema cordatnl1l IImblema costuta Quadrula quadrula Megalonaias gigantea '1'01'/1/,

54 TABLE 4 TENNESSEE RIVER BRAIL SAMPLES, Commercially Valuable Species EAST BANK SPECIES TOTAL PERCENT PERCENT OF NUMBER OF AREA TOTAL CATCH Fusconaia ebenus Pleurobema cordatum Amblema costata Quadrula quadrula Megalonaias gigantea TOTAL 1,246 TABLE 5 TENNESSEE RIVER BRAIL SAMPLES, Commercially Valuable Species TOTAL CATCH SPECIES TOTAL PERCENT OF NUMBER TOTAL CATCH Fusconaia ebenus Pleurobema cordatum 574 2:1.9 Amblema costata Quadrula quadrula Megalonaias gigantea TOTAL 2,208 46

55 TABLE 6 LIST OF SP.ECIES OF MUSSELS Tennessee River From Mile 0 to Mile 62.4 Phylum Mollusca Class Pelecypoda Order Eulamellibranchiata Superfamily Naiadacea Family Unionidae Subfamily Unioninae Fusconaia ebenus (Lea, 1831) Pleurobema cordatum (Rafinesque, 1820).lmblema costata (Rafinesque. 1820) eydonaias tuberculata (Rafinesque. 1820) (,luadrula quadrula (Rafinesque, 1820) (,luadrala pustulosa (Lea. 1831) (,luadrula liletallevra Rafinesque (,luadrula cylindrica (Say. 1817),\legalonaia, gigalltea (Barnes. 1823) Elliptio crassidells (Lamarck. 1819) Elliptio dilatlltus (Rafinesque, 1820) Tritigonia verrucosa (Rafinesque. 1820) Plet/wbllsns cyphns (Rafinesquc. 1820) Niggerhead Pigtoe Three Ridge Pink Pimpleback Mapleleaf White Pimplebaeh. Monkey face Rabbit Foot Washboard Iul,' ear Lad y finger Pistol grip Bullhead Subfamily Anodontinae Allodonta illlbecilis (Say. If129) Subfamily Lampsilinae Floater Obliqnaria reflexa Raginesque, 1820 Three Horn 47

56 Subfamily Lampsilinae (Continued)!agiola lineolata (Rafinesque, 1820) roptera alata (Say, 1817) igumia recta (Lamarck, 1819) ampsilis ovata (Say, 1817) eptodea fragilis (Rafinesque, 1820) eptodea Inevissima (Lea, 1829) tychobranchus fasciolnre (Rafinesque, 1820) 'runcilln donaciformis (Lea, 1828) Butterfly Pink Heel Splitter Black Sand Shell Pocketbook Fragile Paper Shell Papershell Kidney Shell Fawn's Foot 48

57 TABLE 7 DREDGE SAMPLES TENNESSEE RIVER SPECIES WEST BANK CHANNEL EAST BANK TOTAL PERCENT TOTAL OF TOTAL Corbicula fluminea 5,995 11,644 8,714 26, Pusconaia ebenus Pleurobema cordatum Amblema costata Cyclonaias tuberculata Quadrula quadrula Quadrula pustulosa Megalonaias gigantea Plagiola lineolata Elliptio crassidens Obliquaria reflexa TOTAL 6,018 11,671 8,822 26,513 SPECIES TABLE 8 TENNESSEE RIVER, DREDGE SAMPLES, WEST BANK Taken April 29, 1967 MILE NUMBER TOTAL Corbicula fluminea , FuscolUJia ebenub Pleurobema cordatum Amblema costata Quadrula quadrula Quadrula pustulosa Megalonaias gigantetj ltuiptio cmssidens Elliptio dilatatus Obliquaria reflexa 1 4 Proptero alata TOTALS ,444 AU shells were relic except those marl\.(d by an * 49

58 TABLE 9 COMPILATION OF DREDGE SAMPLING DATA Kentucky Dam Tailwaters 'EeIES TOTAL NUMBER PERCENTAGE NUMBER PER SQUARE YARD )'sconaia ebenus eurobema cordatum mblema costata yclonaias tuberculata uadntln quadrula uadrula pustulosa egalonaias gigantea :agiola lineolata lliptio crassidens bliquaria reflexa OT.1L :v lii1jhlir TABLE 10 Glochidial Infestation in Fishes PECIES OF FISH NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS NUMBER INFESTED NUMBER OF GLOCHIDIA ; talurus furcatus ;talums punctatus tizostedion canadense )orosoma cepedianum lplodinotus granniens,episosteus osseus llosa chrysochloris lomoxis annularis toccus chrysops ;arpiodes cyprinus 1.ynetrema melnnops

59 TABLE 11 Age composition of Fusconaia ebenus stock on beds sampled in the Tennessee River Tailwater below Kentucky Dam in 1966 Ages combined for three-year periods Age group Year Cia Number Percent Total number TABLE 12 LOCATION OF BEDS IN THE KENTUCKY LAKE PORTION OF THE TENNESSEE RIVER Mile 29.1 to mile 30.2 Mile 34.5 to mile 37.6 Mile 38.6 to mile 40.7 Mile 53.0 to mile 54.8 Mile 55.2 to mile 57.1 Mile 58.0 to mile 59.2 Mile 61.2 to mile 62.4 * All these beds were located in the old river channel. 51

60 TABLE 13 AREAS WORKED ON THE REAl MILE MILES REAlI MILE III MILES REA III MILE MILES REA IV MILE MILES REA V MILE MILES REA VI MILE MILES TOTAL 664 MILES 52

61 TABLE 14 LOCATION OF BEDS IN MILE POINT SIDE OF RIVER OHIO OHIO KENTUCKY KENTUCKY KENTUCKY OHIO OHIO KENTUCKY KENTUCKY OHIO KENTUCKY OHIO KENTUCKY OHIO OHIO OHIO OHIO OHIO )4.0 OHIO KENTUCKY KENTUCKY OHIO KENTUCKY OHIO KENTUCKY OHIO KENTUCKY OHIO KENTUCKY OHIO OHIO INDIANA INDIANA 53

62 Table 14 (continued) LOCATION OF BEDS IN, CONTINUED ILE POINT SIDE OF RIVER INDIANA KENTUCKY INDIANA ' KENTUCKY INDIANA INDIANA INDIANA KENTUCKY KENTUCKY INDIANA KENTUCKY INDIANA KENTUCKY INDIANA INDIANA INDIANA INDIANA INDIANA KENTUCKY, INDIANA INDIANA INDIANA INDIANA KENTUCKY, INDIANA, INDIANA, KENTUCKY rd INDIANA rd KENTUCKY KENTUCKY INDIANA INDIANA INDIANA 54

63 Table 14 (continned LOCATION OF BED IN, CONTINUED MILE POINT SIDE OF RIVER INDIANA INDIANA KENTUCKY INDIANA INDIANA KENTUCKY INDIANA KENTUCKY KENTUCKY KENTUCKY ,0 ILLINOIS ILLINOIS ILLINOIS ILLINOIS ILLINOIS ILLINOIS KENTUCKY ILLINOIS ILLINOIS KENTUCKY ILLINOIS ILLINOIS 944, KENTUCKY ILLINOIS ILLINOIS ILLINOIS 55

64 TABLE 15 LIST OF SPECIES OF MUSSELS Ohio River From Mile to Mile Phylum Mollusca Class Pelecypoda Order Eulamellibranchiata Superfamily Naiadacea Family Unionidae Subfamily Unioninae Fusconaia ebenus (Lea, 1831) Fusconaia flava (Rafinesque, 1820) Fusconaia subrotunda (Lea, 1831) Pleurobema cordatum (Rafinesque, 1820) Pleurobema coccineum (Conrad, 1836) Pleurobema pyramidatum (Lea, 1831) Amblema costata (Rafinesque, 1820) Cyclonaias tuberculata (Rafinesque, 1820) Quadrula quadrula (Rafinesque, 1820) Quadrula pustolosa (Lea, 1831) Quadrula metanevra Rafinesque, 1820 Quadrula nodulata (Rafinesque, 1820) Megalonaias gigantea (Barnes, 1823) Elliptio crassidens (Lamarck, 1819) Elliptio dilatatus (Rafinesque, 1820) Tritogonia vrrucosa (Rafinesque, 1820) Plethobasus cyphyus (Rafinesque, 1820) Niggerhead Wabash Pigtoe Long Solid Pigtoe Round Pigtoe Pigtoe Three Ridge Pink Pimple back Mapleleaf White Pimpleback Monkeyface Wartyback Washboard Mule ear Lady finger Pistol grip Bullhead Subfamily Anodontinae Arcidens confragosus (Say, 1830) Lasmiogona complanata (Barnes, 1823) Strophitus rugosus (Swainson, 1822) Rock Pocketbook White Hed Splitter Squaw Foot 56

65 Subfamily Anodontinae (continued) Subfamily Lampsilinae Obliq!laria reflexa Rafinesque, 1820 Plagiola lineolata Rafinesque, 1820 Proptera alata (Say, 1817) Ligumia recta (Lamarck, 1819) Lampsilis anodontoides (Lea, 1831) Obovaria olivaria (Rafinesque, 1820) Leptodea laevissima (Lea, 1829) Actinonaias carinata (Barnes, 1823) Truncilla donaciformis (Lea, 1828) Carunculina pllrva (Barnes, 1823) Three Horn Butterfly Pink Heel Splitter Black Sand Shell Yellow Sand Shell Eggshell Papershell Mucket mussel Fawn's Foot Lilliput mussel Order Heterodonta Family Corbiculidae Corbicula fluminea (Muller, 1774) Asiatic clam 57

66 TABLE 16 TOTAL NUMBERS BY AREA AND PERCENT OF TOTAL, AREA I II III IV V VI TOTAL PERCENT OF TOTAL SPECIES Quadrula quadrula Quadrula metanevra Quadrula nodulata JH Quadrula pustulosa Pleurobema cordatum III Pleurobema pyramidatum Pleurobema coccineum f'usconaia ebenus f'usconaia subrotunda f'usconaia flava mblema costata 'I1egalonaias gigantea Elliptio craidens Elliptio dilatatus Obliquaria reflexa Plagiola lineolata Tritogonia verrucosa Toptera alata lethobasus cyph yus Lampsilis anadontoides Ligumia recta trophitus rugosus Jbovaria olivaria :yclonaias tuberculata ceptodiea laevissima rcidens confragosus ctinonaias carinata Sasmiogona complanata rruncilla donaciformis

67 TABLE 17 AREA I Total Number of Commercially Valuable Mussels in Area I, 578 SPECIES TOTAL NUMBER PERCENT OF AREA PERCENT OF TOTAL CATCH Quadrula quadrula Quadrula metanevra Pleurobema corda tum Pleurobema pyramidatum Fusconaia ebenus Amblema costata Megalonaias gigantea TABLE 18 AREA II Total Number of Commercially Valuable Mussels in Area 11,464 SPECIES TOTAL PERCENT PERCENT OF NUMBER OF AREA TOTAL CATCH Quadrula quadrula Quadrula metanevra Pleurobema cordatum Pleurobema pyramidatum Fusconaia ebenus Amblema costata Megalonaias gigantea

68 TABLE 19 AREA III Total Number of Commercially Valuable Mu_Is in Area III, 675 SPECIES TOTAL NUMBER PERCENT OF AREA PERCENT OF TOTAtCATCH Quadrula quadrula Quadrula metanevra Pleurobema cordatum Pleurobema pyramidatum Fusconaia ebenus Amblema costata Megalonaias gigantea l.l TABLE 20 AREA IV Total Number of Commercially Valuable Mussels in Area IV, 558 SPECIES TOTAL PERCENT NUMBER OF AREA Quadrula quadrula Quadrula metanevra Pleurobema cordatum III.19.9 Pleurobema pyramidatum Fusconaia ebenus A mblema costata Megalonaias gigantea PERCENT OF TOTAL CATCH

69 TABLE 21 AREA V Total Number of Commercially Valuable Mussels in Area V, 845 SPECIES TOTAL NUMBER PERCENT OF AREA PERCENT OF TOTAL CATCH Quadrula quadrula Quadrula metanevra Pleurobema cordatum Pleurobema pyramidatum Fusconaia ebenus Amblema costata Megalonaias gigantea TABLE 22 AREA VI Total Number of Commercially Valuable Mussels in Area VI, 842 SPECIES TOTAL PERCENT PERCENT OF NUMBER OF AREA TOTAL CATCH Quadrula quadrula Quadrula metunevra II Pleurobema cordatum Pleurobema pyramidatum Fusconaia ebenus A mblema costata L Megalonaias gigantea :!.8 61

70 TABLE 23 Total Number of Commercially Valuable Mussels, 3,962 SPECIES TOTAL NUMBER Quadrula quadrula 924 Quadrula metanevra 360 Pleurobema cordatum 464 Pleurobema pyramidatum 436 Fusconaia ebenus 909 Amblema costata 674 Megalonaias gigantea 195 PERCENT OF TOTAL CATCH TABLE 24 SCUBA TOTALS FROM U8 SQUARE YARDS, (AVERAGE, 4.58 PER SQUARE YARD) SPECIES NUMBER Corbicula fluminea 8 Fusconaia ebenus 94 Pleurobema spp. 58 Amblema costata 121 Quadrula quadrula 58 Quadrula pustulosa 26 Quadrula metanevra 8 Megalonaias gigantea 104 Plagiola lineolata 2 Elliptio crassidens 8 Elliptio dilatatus 3 Obliquaria reflexa 18 Proptera alata 10 Tritogonia verrucosa 12 Strophitus rugosus 1 Plethobasus cyphyus 1 Lampsilis anodontoides 2 Leptodea laevissima 7 TOTAL 540 PERCENT OF TOTAL l l.30 62

71 TABLE 25 LIST OF SPECIES OF MUSSELS Green River From Mile 0 to Green and Taylor County Line Phylum Mollusca Class Pelecypoda Order Eulamcllibranchiata Superfamily Naiadacea Family Unionidae Subfamily U nioninae Fusconaia ebenus (Lea, 1831) Fusconaia flava (Rafinesque, 1820) Fusconaia subrotunda (Lea, 1831) Fuscanaia undata (Barnes, 1823) Pleurobema cordatum (Rafinesque, 1820) Pleurobema coccineum (Conrad, 1836) Pleurobema clava (Lamarck, 1820) Pleurobema plenum (Lea, 1840) Amblema costata (Rafinesque, 1820) Cyclonaias tuberculata (Rafinesque, 1820) Quadrula quadrula (Rafinesque, 1820) Quadrula pustulosa (Lea, 1831) Quadrula metanevra Rafinesque, 1820 Quadrula cylindrica (Say, 1817) Quadrula nodulata (Rafinesque, 1820) Megalonaias gigantea (Barnes, 1823) Elliptio crassidens (Lamarck, 1819) J<:lliptio dilatatus (Rafinesque, 1820) Tritogonia verrucosa (Rafinesque, 1820) Plethobasus cyphus (Rafinesque, 1820) Niggerhead Wabash Pigtoe Long Solid Pigtoe Pigtoe Round Pigtoe Pigtoe Three Ridge Pink Pimpleback Mapleleaf White Pimpleback Monkeyface Rabbit's foot Wartyback Washboard Mule ear Lady finger Pistol grip Bullhead Subfamily Anodontinae Anodontaferussacianus (Lea, 1834) Arcidens canfragosus (Say, 1830) Lasmiogona costata (Rafinesque, 1820) Lasmiogona camplanata (Barnes, 1823) Small floater Rock Pocketbook Fluted Mussel White Heel Splitter 63

72 Table 25 (continued) LIST OF SPECIES OF MUSSELS, CONTINUED Subfamily Lampsilinae Obliquaria reflexa Rafinesque, 1820 Plag,iolata lineolata (Rafinesque, 1820) Proptera alata (Say, 1817) Proptera capax (Green, 1832) Ligumia recta (Lamarck 1819) Lampsilis ovata (Say, 1817) Lampsilis luteola (Lamarck, 1819) Lampsilis cariosa (Say, 1816) Lampsilis radiata (Barnes, 1823) Lampsilis anodontoides (Lea, 1831) Lampsilis fallaciosa (Simpson, 1900) Obovaria olivaria (Rafinesque, 1820) Obovaria retusa (Lamarck, 1819) Leptodea laevissima (Lea, 1829) Actinonaias carinata (Barnes, 1823) Actinonaias ligamentina (Lamarch, 1819) Ptychobranchus fasciolare (Rafinesque, 1820) Truncilla donaciformis (Lea, 1828) Truncilla truncata (Rafinesque, 1820) Dysnomia triquetra (Rafinesque, 1820) Carunculina parva (Barnes, 1823) Order Heterodonta Family Corbiculidae Corbiculafluminea (Muller, 1774) Three Horn Butterfly Pink Heel Splitter Pocketbook Black Sand Shell Pocketbook Fat Mucket Fat Mucket Yellow Sand Shell Slough Sand Shell Eggshell Golf stick Papershell Mucket 'mussel Mucket Kidney Shell Fawn's Foot Deertoe Lilliput mussel Asiatic clam 64

73 TABLE 26 GREEN RIVER TOTAL NUMBERS BY AREA AND PERCENT OF TOTAL AREA I II III TOTAL PERCENT SPECIES OF TOTAL Quadrula quadrula Quadrula metanevra Quadrula nodulata Quadrula pustulosa Quadrula cylindrica Pleurobema cordatum Pleurobema plenum Pleurobema coccineum Pleurobema clava Fusconaia ebenus Fusconaia flava Fusconaia subrotunda Fusconaia undata Amblema costata U.5 Megalonaias gigantea Elliptio crassidens U8 3.7 Elliptio dilatatus Cyclonaias tuberculata Tritogonia verrucosa Plethobasus cyphyus U.3 Ptychobranchus fasciolare A ctinonaias ligamentina Actinonaias carinata Obovaria subrotunda Obovaria olivaria Obovaris retusa Plagiola lineolata Lampsilis ovata Lampsilis luteola Lampsilis cariosa Lampsilis radiata

74 Table 26 (continued) GREEN RIVER TOTAL NUMBERS BY AREA AND PERCENT OF TOTAL, CONTINUED AREA I II III TOTAL PERCENT OF TOTAL SPECIES Lampsilis anodontoides Lampsilis fallaciosa Obliquarill reflexa Ligumia recta Leptodea laevissima Proptera alata Proptera capax Truncilla donaciformis Truncilla truncata Dysnomia triquetra Garu nculina paroa Lasmiogona costata Lasmiogona complanata Anodonta ferussacianus Arcidens confragosus

75 TABLE 27 AREA I GREEN RIVER Total Number of Commercially Valuable Mussels in Areal, 568 SPECIES TOTAL NUMBER PERCENT OF AREA PERCENT OF CATCH Megalonaias gigantea Amblema costata Pleurobema cordatum Quadrula quadrula Ptychobranchus fasciolare Plagiola lineolata Pleurobema plenum Fusconaia undata Fusconaia ebenus Actinonaias ligamentina l.l TABLE 28 AREA II GREEN RIVER Total Number of Commercially Valuable Mussels in Area 11,865 SPECIES TOTAL NUMBER PERCENT OF CATCH Megalonaias gigantea Amblema costata 101 1l.7 Pleurobema cordatum Quadrula quadrula Ptycho branchus fasciolare Plagiola lineolata Pleuro bema plenum Fusconaia undata Fusconaia ebenus 4.5 Act(nonaias ligamentina

76 TABLE 29 AREA III GREEN RIVER Total Number of Commercially Valuable Mussels in Area III, 647 SPECIES TOTAL NUMBER PERCENT OF AREA PERCENT OF CATCH Megalonains gigantea A mblema costata Pleurobema cordatum Quadrula quadrula Ptychobranchus fasciolare Plagiola lineolata Pleurobema plenum Fusconain.undata Fusconain ebenus Actinonaias ligamentina TABLE 30 GREEN RIVER Total Number of Cmmercially Valuable Mussels, 2080 SPECIES TOTAL NUMBER PERCENT OF CATCH Megalonains gigantea A mblema costuta Pleuro bema corda tum Quadrula quadrula Ptycho branchus fasciolare Plagiola lineolata Pleurobema plenum Fusconain undata Fusconain ebenus Actinonains ligamentina

77 ;.:: u ;:0 '' Z ' ;.:: en 0 < 0: t > :.a g :;:: 8.- '' s.i '2 f-- U OJ g ; 5 69

78 Plate 2 Length - Weight Relationship by Age Group.. ' -.. -,, *,,. GREEN RIVU j r I ' 10 1J I.,,., - ' AGE_WEIGHT RHATIONSHIP - ::!:!! tlo :: z: 1 :: I:: GREEN RIVU,. AREA I n. -., 8, z,, f, I z,. - '!,. GREEN RIVER I 6 17 I 9. 2' 02 AGE WEIGHT RnA TJQNSHIP AREA 3 f I AGE. WEIGHT RHATIONSHIP.I12U ''', Fit,,,,,,,,,,,,btl/Ii, := i' :: z t :: f jm,mfllltiiul J l AGE WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP n u os AREA 2 n. TENNESSEE RIVER 70

79 Plate 3 Length - Weight Relationship by Age Group - -. ;:!!! Z!: a 1:.0 :: I GREEN Rlvn I I to , AGE-WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP P/furob,MIl corda/lim - - : :i: z :: a :: :: I - ' -m - :s =,- z :: :: :: I := 'M ' - = - ' - - 8, z z, f! - -, I -. I n.,. AREA 1 II AGE WEIGHT RHA TlONSHIP GREEN RIVER.IIlhl >,611,920., GREEN RIVER pf,urob,ma (ordalll' AG WEIGHT RElATIONSHIP AREA 3 '. ' - Pl,urob,ma (ordalll'. '. ' - ::. '''' or :: z -, t. l.jj,jmiih L.J i ;: -. '. ' '1 ' -, z. :< r -. ', I.3 OJ. AREA 2 TENNESSH RIVER AGE-WEIGHT RHATJONSHIP 71

80 Plate 4 Length Weight Relationship by Age Group,,ro -,.,, -- '..,., GREEN RIVER II UIIIUI HI J I. 111.'.'92011 AGE-wEIGHT UtA nonship 21 AREA 2 '.. ro 0 0 i z z ',,, - '. -. '., t a!,.. ',,., GREEN RIVER AGE_WEIGHT RElATIONSHIP ,,,2& AREA 3 '... :: Cl '0. i, 2 := r. 110,ro - ::: 0:: :: z :: I,: JJ.lddl S 6, lo 11,. IS'. I. to AGE WEIGHT RElATIONSHIP TENNESSEE RIVER 1ft - 2OO,, i! :: z -,., r 72

81 length IN m.!l.melers! ;;; g a g li!l: :l.i::ll! < e t Q 0:.S 1$ tn btl» s: 0) Z.0 - b % **ggj!!a;irji'l! WEIGHT IN gram' _ LENGTH IN millimeters _!* ;J;; 38 I'II s ll,g2!!,,, -,!! Z,0! o i, z, j 1, length IN mjllimelers!u U! Ug;;; auhi U:iII iii II!! ' 1!1!!I!!JII!J!118!ili!ltlllll' WEIGHT IN grams _, <, z 0 <, 0 < ]! 1,, ill LENGTH IN m,iumeler< _!UUnUU!U;U!huuuu It M'dWJn at: 1!11!I!ll!I!J!II!!IJllla.aaa WEIGHT IN orom. _. z 0, s j, 1 0, -' <, e i'2!lj!!!!!1!1!1!!!!!1'12'1l'1' WEIGHT IN gram. _, o.

82 Plate 6 Length - Weight Relationship by Age Group fen RIVER AGE-WEIGHT RElATIONSHIP AREA I, ' 0, 0 '1, Z Z m ',,, I I ' ' 'JJJ dll.s67'o''''' AGE WEIGHT RElATIONSHIP GREEN RIVER AREA 2. Z ' o, I ' i., 'IIllltl'lt'II _; AGE-WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP GREEN RIVER AREA 3 m Z 0,! I m ', TENNESSEE RIVER ; AGE WEIGHT RElATIONSHIP, ' ' m, ' 74

83 Plate 7 Number of Individuals by Age Group Z»» D D u Z o S 14 : 2 7 nnm'7 mu».u.wam, GREEN RIVER AREA I n Z C n z 2 0 c 1. I. 7'9».,gwmuu.m GREEN RJVER ' Fummaj,b'Ni AREA 2» n 2 < n z 0 s 0 C > 4 GREEN finer.1 7'9.nUMu.p _u.u. m ' Fusco ; tbmln AREA 3 z = Q 20 Z I. o TENNESSEE RIVER P1CGnia,bmf{' 75

84 Plate 8 N umber of Individuals by Age Group 1 2'4.6 >.'I'QwmUUMDa. GREEN RIVER M.» 1\\. u. z 2 s. g....» AREA)» :. o. z :s M :, GREEN RIVER : 'a 1 nq_dudd_n_d.w n g : SM GREEN lwei?. Pkuroh.,,, (Oraa/lim AREA 3 Pkurobtma rort/a'u' '''. _'''','''' AREA 2 TENNESSEE RIVER Pl,urobtmd rotaalu, 76

85 Plate 9 Number ofindividuals by Age Group u» M n N. i D. a Z I. 0 S: M 0 10 GRfEN RIVER n N i D Z I. < D, 10 20'03O20 ' '. 1.,' '711.. M' QNadrNIa quadrllia AREA 2 GREEN RIVER QUI/drula qlladrllfa AREA n z c z c :s '.'61.10 TENNESSEE RIVER. 2123, 77

86 Plate 10 Number of Individuals by Age Group '» n 2 a ,W z ;; 0 z c 0,,.. GREEN RIVER Amblrm 'Ofla/tt.1. u. ''' 'D AREA _, 2 C ' a < 24 0,W Z 18 o S ' 0 10 TENNESSEE RlVER Ambl,,,, 'Of la/a 78

87 Plate 11 Number of Individuals by Age Group n z C D H» Z 0 0, C,,.. GREEN RNER, U2l n : n Z 0 a: jim,,. M'ga/on;,,, giganfta AREA I GREEN RIVER. AREA '} Z C D H» Z 0 0 C Z C ' '. '.1 I., 17 3D GREEN RIVER ARfA 3 TENNESSEE RIVER. 79

88 Plate 12 N umber of Individuals by Age Group '. I.. \6'II2121'''''''''''''30 <G. QfIJrula,{,,,,drill,, AREA I I. U16'.II 21,.. 30 Ql{dml qad,/ AREA AREA 5 z 0 z 0 :s 0 0 ' z 0 z ' g S 0 0 Z 0 ' Z 18 o ::: 14 f:. 10 II ls 1b l7 AREA , 4. 7!O 13,4 \6 11 II 11, >1 30 AREA ' ' 5.13\ '''''''''''' <G' AREA C' 80

89 Plate 13 N umber of Individuals by Age Group '. z c ' Q z c c D, 'G' AREA I ' Q i e z c > 1.,4'. :n>l ''''''.)O 'G' AREA? ' ' < ' Q z e lot e 10 ;;; 24 o, Z 18 e lU 1, >, 1 I. '.10 n u 3<> OHIO RlYER 'G' AREA 3 OHiO RIVER.m (11'/,/,'''''''1<''' AREA I ' z c ' Q >, 6, 'G', AREA 5 ' z 26 ;OM g!! Z,I e M e ,..,,', 7>. M' Quadu/a me/anti'''' AREA 6 81

90 Plate 14 Number of Individuals by Age Group n m n, m n 1.11., 1 OO:I:2'''''''',,. 21:1:2.. FIJ!(OI/(Ji.bmJl! Z c Z D D C n m U. n:l:2 v. AREA I ARfA 2 AREA 'g. AREA 5 Z =,,, Z D lot o to Z c n z 2 < 6 0 -,,.., 23 '. FUiConaid,bmu, AREA, '!',. MfA 6 82

91 Plate 15 Number of Individuals by Age Grou!' D z c Z 18 O. S 14 : '7 ' z c f;. AEII I ' 2 C z c :s 0.' AREA 4 z c z 0 :s 0, c ' AREA 7 ' z c z 0 :s c,..,00 AREA 5 ' z c z 0 c WM»WWuvu..' pl,,,,,i'''d AREA 6 (,-t/a/llm 83

92 Plate 16 Numbers of Individuals by Age Group u 2 >'4 o. 7 1.I'nWMWMna PId,,,,, p) ranl/dal' AREA)., '. PI.,JlIIa l'_lr,,,ldllllll AREA 3 I'/,,,,,,IJ'III<I/')''';'/'''''-., 3D AREA 5, C Q Z 0 S 0 C C Z Q Z 18 2 :5. 14 D 10, C Q Z 18 o 14 g 11 10,.,.1, 1. a911w:i6':i6>9 P/,robmltt PJr,ida'1I1 AREA 2, ld AREA.11. ' -' '..,.' 1'/,,/,,lIId f1r'''lidiii'' AREA 6 84

93 Plate 17 Number of Individuals by Age Group n z» 0 n, Z, Q S 0 0 n» Z c Q n '.WnnUMa», 21.' u Q: Z 0 S M :... n n,,. o $. loll o 10. Ambl''''a rosll AREA 1 Amb/,m,OJ/ala 2122 '11 29 AREA 5 n Z 0 Q z Q g s 12 10, n 2: 28 ::, z Amble,,, rojla/a AREA Z ' 1}'II 202I 'D 2<I>o. AREA 4. I AREA 6 85

94 Plate 18 Number of Individuals by Age Group z z 2 s 0»» Z C z 2 S 0 n c 1 a I II, '.'2If.W''':P:»''',' d.!lltga/dna;pi {igallita ARfA , aifw:pwu'.,\j'f.lonu, fjf.,wlrd AREA 3» < ; 2, z 2 S 0 C,» Z 0 Q z. 0 OS If a,, AREA I.1. I. '9.W.U, AREA 4»» Z Z 0 0 Q Q Z Z 0, OS D '9.IfWu,. AREA 5 QHIO RIVER '!', AREA 0 86

95 Plate 19 Length - Weight Relationship by Age Group -,,, --'oo :: = Z:: - ::: tjjjimiiilflll I 3 S 7 10 '3 Hi ,,, -- Z --, :: Q- 3i a :: a ::,,,, ', -,, AGE WEIGHT RLAT/ONSH'P AGE WEIGHT RElATIONSHIP 23., 21 AREA I ' u AREA 3 JJJI.llfjl, I E S.7IIHMM»'W_=U.V. AGE-WEIGHT RElATIONSHIP Quadntl quadrula AREA 5., -::., Q.to :t!,,, -, -,oo, :s= :::2 z:: \60:! ' ::f I j :: ::: ',,0 :: I ':,,, - '.,.,,oo ::: ' :J:! AGE-WEIGHT REiATJONSHIP Quadrllia 'Iadrula AGE-WEIGHT RElATIONSHIP AGE WEIGHT RElATIONSHIP Quad,1a quad,,,i,, AREA 2 AREA 4 ' Oil n:oo,,, AREA 6 ;l --,,0,,, = :;: z -, :: ::: ;:: :: I ' b,., -:-,! :;:(;), :: z q ' :0 I ' b' --b, = z -, 0 :::: * I :1 87

96 Plate 20 Lengtli - Weight Relationship by Age Group,, 11 '.''22n26>1 AGE WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP AREA I Qt;adrufa nlv,a J i, N JjUI I 34' >619.., to., AGE WEIGHT RHATIONSHIP AGE_WEIGHT RElATIONSHIP AREA 3 Quadrula mf/alltl'rl1 Qlladrula mtlan',,,,, -.., M' ' ', ' C Z, r I J. 234'.71. ::: -'. - ; C_ :!;,90 -Z,N - a: l - I,, ' ', ',, '. ', ' ' -, ', C ' -. -,,,,N ', Z Z,N, 0,, ' M' l ', [. ' I '., ' N N. ' I -.JJI.Ijil, AGE_WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP Quad,ula mt/am,a.. 27 AREA ' 4 67 I 9 to 13 '.' '6171.' 22., AGE- WEIGHT REtA nonship AGE_WEIGHT RElATIONSHIP AREA 5 AREA 6 Quadrula mll'zlw'y<j AREA 4 '. '. - ' C, z ' ' '., r ' ' '. '. I 210 Z, '90 ;:,,0 2: :: 1>0 : 88

97 Plate 21 Length - Weight Relationship by Age Group =1 -,- 1211?i:!: :!i z:' o * :.. *., I.M -, ': - ', = - = z:: - 1 -:: I ::.:;1 -!!ll ; z:: 1 -= I :: AGE. WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP FttrCOliaia.bmuJ AGE. WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP Fuwmai. brollj AGE WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP Fwconaia.bmw AREA I ' = 210 C) 1110 :r :;: z _-»O i' :: Z, :.:: '.. :1-07 AREA 3 AREA 5 m -, _ i'. 200 Z. -- ',- = z :: S 6 j,,..,n.,. 7a AGE. WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP FUHOfJaia.ben, 7 9 I., AGE-WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP AGE WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP AREA AREA 4 AREA 6 ' :t :;: z., r,,20 ::' I '. ' m '. 89

98 Plate 22 Length - Weight Relationship by Age Group,,,,. ;1;': :s 190 2' :: -...,0 J n. - 1.,. l 6 AGE_WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP tn. AGE. WEIGHT RElATIONSHIP PlfJl,obemd (orda/ljlii AGE. WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP P/eurobm/IJ (rdatum ARfA I AREA 3 '7 AREA 5. '.. '....,2<1, :i: ::, z f Ci!: :s, z:: a -uo :: I,,,oo o :;,90 z :: il '50! J l,,oo,oo L ::., OHIO RiVER AGE-WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP P/,robt''',rdO/Iin! AGE-WEIGHT RElATIONSHIP PiflirohmJa rerda/lilii AREA 2 AREA 4 '.., 0 'I 180 Z '.,, f :: ;:,,,. ' jjji'llllllllill : 7.91'1'18n1820M' AGE-WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP plfllrobd njrj,,/1i11i AREA f, '., 90

99 Plate 23 Length - Weight Relationship by Age Group I - :: z: 2= a ::., I. N.J.'J' '. AGE-WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP. - :: 0:.': :s, z!: ;; 1$0 :: C):.:: :s,110 Z :: a no,. J Plero/;,m pyramidalll' ji 3 7, I 11'3 U 16 > AGE-WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP PltllNJbema pyra,,daltil AGE-WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP AREA 1 AREA 3 AREA _ 0 = ' :r := z ::: f 110.::: :: I.. 'N. - o 190 i I. Z, r 0 -, :5= z :: a no :: :: 171;':: :s,i'o Z :: ::.., -. - :: - z :: a :: I., -. J JIIII t j 1 10 IS. 11. AGE- WEIGHT RflA TlONSHIP PlIrolJ(1na p)'<,midaltlfl' AGE-WEIGHT RHATIONSHIP P/m,ob,ma Piralliida/lim t, AGE_WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP» AREA 2 AREA 4 2' 21 AREA :: 190 :i'! :!: z, r ::'1. : '00 :x. 2: '''' 'l II ;;: o ; n 91

100 Plate 24 Length - Weight Relationship by Age Group, - L JjjdllIltl ; I, '.2021 AGE WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP ' ' -, -, ' ',. ' ' ',,,,, Amb/a,00/a/a jli AGE. WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP Ambhma [OJ/a/4 Ji,;df AGE_wEIGHT RELATIONSHIP Ambl,ma eo<la/a,.,n ; ' 0 0 '. i',,, Z Z ' '., 0. 0, N' J, ' ' J, ',, r Jliijlflll II :to. 23 :M 27 28,.,, AREA I AREA AREA 5,.,. ',., i' 200 ' Z Z, 0 ' :! r, 'JO JE :r i,00, ;t. ' ' 0 i', Z,. '., J I, ',,.,,, >0 AGE WEIGHT REIATJONSHIP,1mb/mM mia/a AGE_WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP Ambhma 1'0Haia AGE_WEIGHT RE!ATlONSHIP,, 11 AREA 2 AREA AREA ' '., m m C i' Z. r,, ', '. ' 0 ' i' 92

101 Plate 25 Length - Weight Relationship by Age Group. g: z :: o 1 I m : :so.., z: :: t, '. l s II I. 211 AGE_WEIGHT RHAHONSHIP AREA J m ' I.dllllL.U.L:! AGE WEIGHT RElATIONSHIP. I: z : o, ', t. : z :: o, C;.J> 7 I AREA 3 OHIO RIVE 22» 21117,, 30 AGE-WEIGHT RElATIONSHIP II '. '.20' I Mtga/.tIla, f!.i(!,anlra I Iii II 13' '7\1'.,21 AGE WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP Megalonaid' gigan/fa AREA '2 AREA 4 ' i I. Z., r I : z: 1 : m I ',I... J I AGE-WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP MtgaIQ,,iaJ gigan/,a AREA 5 AGE WEIGHT RElATIONSHIP Mrgafonaia! gigal, AREA 6 93

102 Plate 26 Number of Individuals by Age Group» M n M n Z z c n g» g, 0, 2 s 0 c 0 C. >, n z c g, 0 0 Z c g Z 2 S 0 C, GREEN RIVER ' Aa;.naias Hgammlin4 AREA I., 21 = GREEN RIVER AtlinonaiaJ ligammtina. AREA n._w 21,. GREEN RIVER AREA 3 c M n z 2 S 12 :;:; 10 g Z 2 S t ' Z C, c > :0 67 '2 ' 22 M' GREEN RIVER p,hob/m<hiu1 fajci.lar! AREA 1 GREEN RIVER, Ptychobf,hiIlJ jaj{io/ar, AREA 2,, GREEN RIVER PtyrhobrQnchlNs [asdola, ARE 94

103 Plate 27 Number of Individuals by Age Group x U M H n Q Z C D z 2 6 M C M Z C ' OM ft Q, Z 2 S M 0 C,,.. GREEN RIVER M Z C n Q Z 0 M 0 c,. GREEN RIVER,,... GREEN RIVER. 2S:Z7 AREA 2 DMM._.:Z7.. FustOn ; Wld,,'a AREA I pltnrolu'a pl,,,m AREA ::' u n Z C Q z 2 S 0 c, M H Z 0 ft Q z I. O. S M 0 ';:;: 10. GREEN RIVER,. Plagiola linto/a,a.1.11 DM. 2S.:Z7 AREA] n.»:16:17. GREEN RIVER Plntrolm1la pl'''111 AREA ;; 95

104 Plate 28 Length -Weight Relationship by Age Group ' \. \ ' -, :,, -'., n. -,, ' - -,..,_.;;llllllfllll ' 6' I 910'. 19t 21 AGE. WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP GREEN RIVER.-J'/IIId'''' flx,in/oil'.-ljtl'l'ii(lr.i AGE-WEIGHT RElATIONSHIP GREEN RivER.-Jai'IUNata.' i!.ritl<l J l AGE- WEIGHT RHA TlONSH!P,..., 9'O'1316'.' GREEN RIVER.irlllJONtlltlJ ligtlm'liij,, n., ' -,. ' ' ' '. - 0 X Z Z * -,. - a '!, I I I J Iflh I I,,, fl '728., 9 \ II I. 10 AREA) - - '. - x ' ' -, -. f 0 - ' Z Z -!., I ' - I nn.,»., AREA ' M O. '. -'OO i :s Z '.,. -, r '!. I. I - GREEN RIVER,.. AGE GREEN RIVER n. 21,. AREA 3 GREEN RIVER AGE-WEIGHT RflA TIONSHIP 1'f),I,I)).I</.I'/'''/'''' In WEIGHT RElATIONSHIP Pt)[hobra(h;u, [amolar< IYi,dlil I 6 7 '0 12 I., AGE. WE!GHT RHA nonship P'.)fbob'IJI-htu'lIJ-iof,, '. AREA I., AREA 2 '.,,,. 0 i. Z ' l ' i ',. ' 0 - i Z '.,,, I '. n. - C '1 ' '', '. u. AREA 3 ' I 96

105 Plate 29 Length - Weight Relationship by Age Groupr z 0,! I Z, l I 0 z, l. oro. -. '. - -' -.. '.. M -. - '. ' GREEN RrVER '. ' ' -.. J.r11 7. '2., 21 AGE WfIGHT RElATIONSHIP PIgI b'''/'''d '. ' U:I/I2,21 AREA 2. 0, z, I -.., - z -. l I f I.2'S., 1I20 AGE WEIGHT RElATIONSHIP PlagioJ limofla I-=.::.v.: S_a_V_ AREA 3 '., Z -I' ISO == 140; ir '- '- I - :: _0 C'!:,: = -,- zi: ' 110 Z, 110 a :: I :: :: ;: f 110 -, s,j's,, ,=.,.. = JJJ j.1 GREEN RNER. '- GREEN RIVER AGE-WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP II nfl' 19'01112 '.'.102' AGE WfIGHT RELATIONSHIP P/,,,,-,,h'lIId p/,,,,ii AREA I AREA 2 '. ' 2.0 Z _CO 'i' Z, ::: 3.. :: GREEN RNU = :: - c=;:: - 2:: i -:: I :: AGf WEJGHT RElATIONSHIP,. AGE WEIGHT tela TtONSHIP. GREEN RIVER P/tkrob'1 plmll' AREA 2 AREA 3 III - :: ' :J: :: z.m *,_ MOl :

106 Fig. 1 Lower End of Riffle, Area 1, Green River Fig. 2 Pool, Area 1, Green River 98

107 Fig. 3 Riffle, Area 1, Green River Fig. 4 Upper End of Riffle, Area 1, Green River 99

108 Fig. 5 Coal Loading Facility, Green River Fig. 6 Coal Loading Facility, Green River 100

109 101

110 102

111 103

112 Fig. 10 Piles of Shells Collected by Muskrats Fig. 11 Piles of Shells Collected by Muskrats 104

113 105