Freshwater mussel survey in the Saline Branch in Busey Woods / Crystal Lake Park, Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois

This report is submitted in response to a request from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) for the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) to conduct a freshwater mussel survey in the Saline Branch (Salt Fork Vermilion River drainage) in Busey Woods / Crystal Lake Park, Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois. IDNR proposes to install instream riffles as compensation for a 2002 ammonia release and fish kill in the Saline Branch. The mussel survey will provide updated survey data prior to their restoration effort. Freshwater mussels were collected by hand-­‐picking along an approximate 1,100-­‐yard stretch of stream for 7 person-­‐hours on 14 August 2014. Only one live individual was found [Fatmucket (Lampsilis siliquoidea)] during the survey. Two additional species [Cylindrical Papershell (Anodontoides ferussacianus) and White Heelsplitter (Lasmigona complanata)] were collected only as fresh-­‐dead and one other [Plain Pocketbook (Lampsilis cardium)] was collected only as relict. No native freshwater mussels collected are listed at the state or federal level. Based upon the Mussel Classification Index (Szafoni, 2001), the mussel resource in the Saline Branch at Busey Woods / Crystal Lake Park is classified as Restricted – only three species were considered extant with no rare or listed species being found, CPUE was <1 individuals per hour, no recruitment was evident. We feel the Saline Branch lacks a significant mussel resource, and hesitate to speculate what effect, if any, the proposed artificial riffles will have on the recruitment of freshwater mussels to the Saline Branch at Busey Woods / Crystal Lake