NEWS RELEASE

U.S. Army Corps of Enginners

St. Paul District

April 17, 2002

Release # PA-2002-46

651-290-5108

Corps reveals draft plan to revive endangered mussel species
                                               
SAINT PAUL, MINN. - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, released its draft plan to establish new populations of the native endangered Higgins' eye pearly mussel in the Upper Mississippi River April 15.

This long-term solution to the survival of the Higgins' eye is being coordinated in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; the U.S. Geological Survey; the National Park Service; the U.S. Coast Guard; the departments of natural resources from Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin; and the Science Museum of Minnesota.  It involves establishing new populations, through relocation, of the Higgins' eye.  The Corps is also conducting a separate study for the long-term population control of the zebra mussel.

The Corps' $2.4 million plan took two years to develop.  It stems from an April 2000 Fish and Wildlife report that said continued operation of the nine-foot navigation channel on the Upper Mississippi River system would likely jeopardize the continued existence of the Higgins' eye.

"Due to the upstream transport by commercial barges and recreational craft, the Asian native zebra mussels are now found in the Mississippi River.  These zebra mussels have an adverse impact on the Higgins' eye and other native freshwater mussels," said Dennis Anderson, USACE biologist and project manager.  "They cover the native mussels completely, so the native mussels can't open up and they die."

The Corps will establish 10 Higgins' eye relocation sites to ensure at least five new populations survive.  Specific sites have not been determined but potential locations include the Rock and Kankakee rivers in Illinois; the Iowa, Cedar, Des Moines, Upper Iowa, Turkey and Wapsipinicon rivers in Iowa; the Wisconsin, Chippewa and Black rivers in Wisconsin; from the head of the navigation to Monticello, Minn.; pools 1 through upper 4 and pool 24 on the Upper Mississippi; and the first 30 miles of the St. Croix River above Taylors Falls, Minn.

The relocation efforts involve collecting adult Higgins' eye from areas heavily infested with zebra mussels and cleaning and moving them to areas of minimal or no zebra mussels.  It will also include raising juvenile mussels on host fish species and at hatcheries with subsequent stocking at the relocation sites.

The complete draft plan can be found at www.mvp.usace.army.mil <http://www.mvp.usace.army.mil> or obtained by calling Anderson at 651-290-5272.  Public comments on it will be accepted by the Corps until May 10.

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