Abstract:

Kalma, D.L. 1997. The freshwater mussels of the Boquet River (Essex County, New York): distribution, relative abundance, and habitat utilization. Boquet River Association, Essex County Government Center, Elizabethtown NY 12932, 45pp.
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Mussels were studied by walking 36 different ½ km study sections of the river during 2 hour periods. Mussels were identified to species, counted, and measured. Elliptio complanata and Lampsilis radiata were found on the Lake Champlain delta of the river. Margaretifera margaretifera, Elliptio complanata, and Alasmiodonta undulata were found on the Main Stem of the river between the mouth and the falls at Wadhams and in the North Branch. No mussels were found in study sections above the falls at Wadhams. What is probably Pyganodon cataracta was found in Lincoln Pond.

In the river the number of M. margaretifera and E. complanata varied between study sections. Ellilptio complanata were always less common than M. margaretifera and comprised about 15% of the specimens for the river as a whole. A few A. undulata were found in one study section.

More detailed information was collected from a total of 142 hoops, each 1.16 square meters, which were laid out in the study sections.

The number of M. margaretifera within the hoop varied from 0 to 201 individuals. Hoops with larger numbers of mussels tended to have water depths from 0.5 to 2.3 feet, local bottom slopes of 1.0 or 1.5 degrees, % embeddedness values between 19 and 44%, and to be shaded. Hoops which met all four criteria had larger numbers of mussels than those which did not.

The number of E. complanata within the hoop varied from 0 to 6 individuals. Hoops which contained the mussel tended to have water depths of 1.7 feet or less, local bottom slopes of 0.0, 0.5, or 1.0 degrees, and % embeddedness values greater than 25%. Shade was not a significant factor. Hoops which met the all of the three criteria were more likely to have the mussel present than those which did not.
 

This study was funded by the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) under the auspices of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Anyone interested in seeing the entire report should contact the LCBP at:

Lake Champlain Basin Program
P O Box 204
54 West Shore Road
Grand Isle VT 05458
1-800-468-5227