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Service Lists the Altamaha Spinymussel as an Endangered

Date Posted: October 13, 2011

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is listing the Altamaha spinymussel as an endangered species, and at the same time  is designating 149 miles of mainstem river channel in the Altamaha River as critical habitat.

Two Altamaha spinymussels. The mussel's shells have long, sharp spikes on them that look like they would be very painful to step on. Photo credit Jimmy Rickard, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceThe Altamaha spinymussel is only found in the Altamaha Basin in southeastern Georgia. Water quality in the Altamaha River has declined because of sediment from forestry, agriculture, and other land-clearing activities.  Dam operations, water withdrawals, drought, and contaminants also have degraded the species’ habitat.  The spinymussel has disappeared from the lower portions of the Altamaha River’s three major tributaries, the Ohoopee, Ocmulgee, and Oconee Rivers.

USFWS, Southeast Region, 

News Release - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Lists the Altamaha Spinymussel as an Endangered Species

Contacts:
Jimmy Rickard, James_Rickard@fws.gov, 706-613-9493
Tom MacKenzie, tom_mackenzie@fws.gov, 404-679-7291

Links:
USFWS, Southeast Region -
Altamaha spinymussel web page
News Release - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Lists the Altamaha Spinymussel as an Endangered Species 

Final Rule: Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Status for the Altamaha Spinymussel and Designation of Critical Habitat (Text) (1.6 mb PDF) 
Last updated: February 13, 2013