The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced its final decision to designate critical habitat for the federally endangered Carolina heelsplitter, Lasmigona decorata,an endangered freshwater mussel. This action, published in the Federal Register on July 2, incorporates a thorough review of all available information on the Carolina heelsplitter and comments received in response to the proposal to designate critical habitat for the species and the accompanying draft economic analysis.
The final designation of critical habitat for the Carolina heelsplitter identifies 92.2 river miles including portions of Goose, Duck (a tributary to Goose Creek) and Waxhaw Creeks, in Union County, North Carolina; Lynches River in Lancaster, Chesterfield, and Kershaw Counties, South Carolina; Flat Creek (a tributary to the Lynches River) and Gills Creek in Lancaster County, South Carolina; Turkey Creek in Edgefield and McCormick Counties, South Carolina; Mountain and Beaverdam Creeks (tributaries to Turkey Creek) in Edgefield County, South Carolina; and Cuffytown Creek in Greenwood and McCormick Counties, South Carolina.
"This critical habitat designation will help educate the public about the needs of the Carolina heelsplitter and help ensure its future recovery by identifying where conservation actions would be most effective," said Sam D. Hamilton, the Services Regional Director for the Southeast Region.
Critical habitat is a designation that refers to specific geographic areas that are essential for the conservation of a threatened or endangered species and that may require special management considerations. Although critical habitat identifies important areas for a species
