Mussel Shell Inventory - Tennessee River Watershed

A map of mussel shells located and inventoried by the Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful crew during cleanups throughout the entire 7-state Tennessee River watershed.

 

Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful has a unique opportunity in that we are one of few groups traveling into remote coves as we host river cleanups (and scout for litter sites for those cleanups) throughout the entire 7-state Tennessee River watershed. Using this controlled documentation (ensuring no duplicates), we work with freshwater mussel scientists at the University of Tennessee Dept. of Earth and Planetary Sciences to identify and inventory the mussel shells discovered.

Freshwater mussels inventoried since january 2025

PISTOLGRIP
(
Tritogonia verrucosa)

Locations Found by KTnRB crew:
Tennessee River: Kentucky Lake

WABASH PIGTOE
(
Fusconaia flava)

Locations Found by KTnRB crew:
Tennessee River: Kentucky Lake

MAPLE LEAF
(
Quadrula quadrula)

Locations Found by KTnRB crew:
Tennessee River: Fort Loudoun Lake, Kentucky Lake (live specimen found)

YELLOW SANDSHELL
(
Lampsilis teres)

Locations Found by KTnRB crew:
Tennessee River: Kentucky Lake

PINK HEELSPLITTER
(
Potamilus alatus)

Locations Found by KTnRB crew:
Tennessee River: Fort Loudoun Lake

GIANT FLOATER
(
Pyganodon grandis)

Locations Found by KTnRB crew:
Tennessee River: Chickamauga Lake

ID’d SOON!
(
Latin name)

Locations Found by KTnRB crew:
Tennessee River: Kentucky Lake