Rosenberger, A.E. and G.A. Lindner. 2022. Use of a riverscape-scale model of fundamental physical habitat requirements for freshwater mussels to quantify mussel declines in a mining-contaminated stream: the Big River, Old Lead Belt, Southeast Missouri. U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Cooperator Science Series FWS/CSS-147-2022, Washington, D. C. https://doi.org/10.3996/css78904468
Abstract
The research described in this report was conducted as part of the Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration process in the Big River. Our purpose was to refine understanding of the habitat features and landscape factors that are crucial for the establishment of mussel concentrations in the Big River by using the adjacent and relatively healthy Bourbeuse and Meramec rivers as reference streams. The study will help to establish expected baseline conditions related to mussel habitat in the Big River, which will assist.injury determination in the Southeast Missouri Lead Mining District Natural Resource Damage Assessment case.