Jan. 11—MUNCIE — Water quality has improved in some parts of Indiana, advocates say, in part because of increased regulations.
Another element in the resurgence in those places has been a source some might not expect: freshwater mussels.
Indiana is home to 60 species of the invertebrates, several of which have declined in population and become endangered, or a “species of special concern,” according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
Delaware County alone has 21 species, according to Laura Bowley, surveillance supervisor for the Bureau of Water Quality in the Muncie Sanitary District.
Advocates believe population declines have meant bad news for the health of Indiana’s rivers and overall water quality.
Water quality is often determined by accounting for the chemicals in a body of water, said Cassie Hauswald, director of freshwater programs for the Same Shine Foundation. However, Hauswald suggested another approach for determining water quality.
“If you tell me that an animal can or can’t live there, that speaks to me about the river or stream’s health,” she explained.
Mussels are filter feeders, meaning they take in organic matter, including various forms of bacteria. They also filter pollutants that come in through stormwater. Advocates believe more native mussels means cleaner water.
One mussel filters through around 15 gallons of water per day, according to Hauswald.
Their absence, she said, could mean higher concentrations of pollutants and overpopulation of algae — key ingredients that contribute to an unhealthy river or stream.
Healthy water quality could mean better food resources for larger animals like fish, leading to more biodiversity.
A lack of variety in plants and animals, Hauswald said, are telltale signs of a decline in a body of water’s overall health. Those areas can become home to large numbers of bloodworms and leeches.
With those concerns in mind, the Muncie Sanitary District opened its first mussel propagation facility in 2021.
Bowley and her team have been focusing on the plain pocketbook, wavy-rayed lampmussel and kidney shell species, which are native to the White River area. The latter two are of special concern to the state of Indiana.
Their efforts were not initially successful; creating optimal conditions for the mussels’ survival is a delicate process.
Nearly four years later, the district has perfected the process and is now raising thousands of mussels. The facility provides the mussels with high-quality water, a warm habitat and a refirgerator filled with dead algae.
Raising mussels, like children, is an all-consuming undertaking. Boley said she and some employees have had to come in the middle of the night to alter the habitat’s temperature or change the mussels’ food.
However, those are minor inconveniences compared with ensuring clean, healthy bodies of water, she said.
“Since we have so many broken up populations, the idea is we would be able to raise numbers to fill in some gaps and bring mussels back in those areas,” Bowley said.
Those mussels will be tagged and tracked. Boley and her team will periodically check on the mussels and see if their efforts are making a difference in the White River’s overall water quality.
In the wild, freshwater mussels have a low survival rate. Less than 1% reach adulthood, partly because of environmental changes and also because of invaders.
These invaders include the zebra mussel and the Asiatic clam.
Zebra mussels, in particular, are prolific breeders. Females can produce up to a million eggs per season, according to Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers, a campaign for raising awareness of invaders.
Both invaders can be found in Indiana’s lakes and streams. Zebra mussels have been spotted in bodies of water in Tippecanoe, Hamilton, Clark and Steuben counties, among others.
Hoosiers are advised to report their presence to the Department of Natural Resources.
Follow Caleb Amick on Twitter @AmickCaleb. Contact him at caleb.amick@heraldbulletin.com or 765-648-4254.