The state and federally endangered Higgins eye pearlymussel was historically found along the Upper Mississippi River and in its major tributary rivers, such as the Cedar River.  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as part of an endangered species consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began an augmentation and reintroduction for the Higgins eye pearlymussel.  One of the primary reasons for the augmentation and reintroduction was to help ensure survival of the species from impacts due to zebra mussel colonization on native mussel beds.  As part of the reintroduction program, juvenile Higgins eye pearly mussels and over 300,000 fish inoculated with Higgins eye pearly mussel larvae, known as glochidia, were released into the Cedar River near the City of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Below are links to more information about the Higgins eye pearlymussel and its recovery.

Photo by USFWS

Propagation and Restoration of Higgins’ Eye Pearlymussels in the Upper Mississippi River Basin (16-page PDF; 2.9MB)

2006 Status Report on the Accomplishments of the Mussel Coordination Team (39-page PDF; 1.3MB)

Higgins Eye Pearlymussel

Data from the 2011 Cedar River biomonitoring