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Freshwater Mussel Surveys (snorkel & scuba)The Pacific Northwest is home to only a few of the hundreds of freshwater mussel species in North America, but our low diversity is composed of unique endemic species such as Western Pearlshell (Margaritifera falcata), Western Ridgemussel (Gonidea angulata), and Floater (Anodonta spp.). Restoration projects can be lethal to mussels in a site, and take of these vulnerable and declining species is prohibited by fish and game agencies in western states, but historic and current mussel distribution is often unknown. I design surveys and sampling protocols, conduct surveys via snorkel and scuba (NAUI-certified Master Diver, Advanced Rescue Diver, and Divemaster-in-training), salvage mussels from project sites, and monitor post-relocation survival.
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EXPERIENCE
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Surveys
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Presence/absence surveys and assessment of population distribution and age structure in streams in central and eastern Oregon, including Willamette River, Middle Fork Willamette, Thomas Creek, Tualatin River, Gales Creek, Tryon Creek, Columbia Slough, Sandy River, Crystal Springs Creek, Johnson Creek, and Middle Fork John Day for clients including Port of Portland, Johnson Creek Watershed Council, and Willamette Riverkeeper.
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Salvage
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Determining existing mussel population, scouting suitable re-location site, collecting and moving mussels from impacted areas. Most salvages involve tagging mussels and conducting follow-up survivorship studies as well as measuring shell length to assess population age distributions.
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