SRBC Chesapeake Bay Watershed Region Freshwater Mussel Partnership

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Chesapeake Bay Watershed Region Freshwater Mussel Partnership

The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Region Freshwater Mussel Partnership is a voluntary affiliation of stakeholders drawn by our interest in freshwater mussels to:

Advance and promote Conservation & Restoration; and,
Evaluate Water Quality best management practices (BMPs) to lessen excess nutrients and sediment in tributaries to the Bay.

Interest in freshwater mussels throughout the Chesapeake Bay Watershed is growing and for good reasons, such as:

Freshwater mussels are among North America’s and the Bay Region’s most endangered group of organisms
Freshwater mussels have unique life strategies linked to individual fish species
Much like benthic macroinvertebrates, freshwater mussels are indicators of existing water quality conditions in a stream
As they feed, freshwater mussels transfer suspended matter from the water column to the stream bed
Freshwater mussels are ecosystem engineers, capable of modifying aquatic habitat to make conditions more suitable for themselves and other organisms

Mussel sampling during 2025 Mussel & Buffer Symposium in the James River in Goochland, VA (August 12, 2025) Mussel Sampling in James River, VA on August 12, 2025

Mussel Sampling in James River, VA on August 12, 2025

Freshwater mussels found while sampling James River during symposium (August 12, 2025)

News & Announcements

The editors of Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society’s biannual newsletter Ellipsaria are looking for a volunteer to aid in the collation of the newsletter. This is a great opportunity to learn about our society, read about current mollusk conservation and research, and build technological and editorial skills. Early career volunteers would bring valuable perspective to the newsletter and are preferred. Expected time investment is 4 hours an issue. If interested, please email [email protected] with your name and interest in the opportunity.
September 25, 2025

Bringing Life Back to Dunkard Creek, One Mussel At a Time (The Allegheny Front article)
September 19, 2025

Philadelphia Water Department reintroduces FWM to Manayunk Canal: KYW Newsradio Article (5/5/25) & The Times Herald article (7/7/25)
July 23, 2025

Current FWM Partnership Newsletter (Issue No. 2, July 2025)
July 23, 2025

Meetings & Events Calendar

Partnership Steering Committee Meeting 2025 Schedule:

Monthly on the 4th Friday from 9-10 am

(virtual)

Resources

Freshwater Mussel Publications (link to Zotero website)

Lower Susquehanna Freshwater Mussel Survey Video (link to YouTube)

About Us

The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Region Freshwater Mussel Partnership evolved mainly from the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Science & Technical Advisory Committee workshop (March 5-6, 2020): Incorporating Freshwater Mussels into the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Efforts and the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation and state of Maryland’s workshop (April 13, 2022): Broaden and Enhance Regional Freshwater Mussel Partnerships in the Chesapeake Bay.

In 2023, staff from the Susquehanna River Basin Commission transitioned to the role of coordinators for the Regional Freshwater Mussel Partnership. As coordinators, SRBC staff: facilitate communication among the Partnership members, Action Teams, and Steering Committees and with pertinent elements of the Chesapeake Bay Program; schedule Partnership Steering Committee meetings; coordinate an Annual Symposium; and manage resources and information for this web page.