Mussel biologist Tony Brady inoculates wild fish for mussel culture at George Wyth State Park. - FWS photo

 In 2006, Genoa National Fish Hatchery began working with the Hartman Reserve Nature Center, in Waterloo, Iowa, to produce freshwater mussels to be introduced into the Cedar River.  Historically, the Cedar River had a rich and diverse mussel population. 

Due to excessive sedimentation, over-harvest and pollution, the Cedar River now only has a few scattered mussels. 

News of the grim outlook for mussels in the Cedar River alarmed the Hartman Reserve who then contacted the hatchery about beginning a recovery program for the Cedar Falls/Waterloo portion of the river.  Any new mussel program takes time to find the best working conditions, and the Cedar River project is no exception. 

The first year of the project saw some success that gave everyone involved hope for this year.  This summer partners for the project Genoa NFH, Hartman Reserve, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and Blackhawk County Conservation Board are comparing a new culture cage site on Alice Wyth Lake, to the old site on George Wyth Lake. 

Both lakes are located in the George Wyth State Park.  Fish collected by fisheries biologist from Iowa DNR were inoculated with plain pocketbook glochidia (larval mussels) and then placed in floating cages in the two lakes. 

The cages will be harvested this fall and the mussels produced will be marked and placed into restoration areas in the Cedar River.  Through their cooperative efforts these agencies may turn around the disheartening plight of the native mussels in the Cedar River.