Obed River at Potters Ford Bridge

Construction of a new bridge over the Obed River at Potters Ford in the Catoosa Wildlife National Management Area required an endangered mussel survey. Published and unpublished records indicated the historical existence of the endangered mussels, Purple bean (Villosa perpurpurea) and Cumberland bean (Villosa trabalis). Fieldwork at the Potters Ford Bridge construction site was conducted 16 and 17 November 2009. Fieldwork was conducted using skin and SCUBA gear in selected search lanes that ran parallel to the river channel. The survey revealed a total of one live mussel and one relic shell in the vicinity of the construction zone. No live federal protected mussels were found. A single live mussel found, Waverayed lampmussel (Lampsilis fasciola), was moved 250 feet upstream and repositioned into the substrate.