Freshwater mussel survey in the Saline Branch in Busey Woods / Crystal Lake Park, Urbana, Champaign County,

Jeremy S. Tiemann, Sarah A. Douglass, and Rachel M. Vinsel Illinois Natural History Survey Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 1816 South Oak Street Champaign, IL 61820

Prepared for Illinois Department of Natural Resources Natural Resources Damage Assessment, Restoration, and Implementation One Natural Resources Way Springfield, IL 62702

Illinois Natural History Survey Technical Report 2015 (17) 21 August 2015

Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign William Shilts, Executive Director

Illinois Natural History Survey Brian D. Anderson, Director 1816 South Oak Street Champaign, IL 61820 217-333-6830 PROJECT SUMMARY This report is submitted in response to a request from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) for the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) to conduct a freshwater mussel survey in the Saline Branch (Salt Fork Vermilion River drainage) in Busey Woods / Crystal Lake Park, Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois. IDNR proposes to install instream riffles as compensation for a 2002 ammonia release and fish kill in the Saline Branch. The mussel survey will provide updated survey data prior to their restoration effort. Freshwater mussels were collected by hand-picking along an approximate 1,100-yard stretch of stream for 7 person-hours on 14 August 2014. Only one live individual was found [Fatmucket (Lampsilis siliquoidea)] during the survey. Two additional species [Cylindrical Papershell (Anodontoides ferussacianus) and White Heelsplitter (Lasmigona complanata)] were collected only as fresh-dead and one other [Plain Pocketbook (Lampsilis cardium)] was collected only as relict. No native freshwater mussels collected are listed at the state or federal level. Based upon the Mussel Classification Index (Szafoni, 2001), the mussel resource in the Saline Branch at Busey Woods / Crystal Lake Park is classified as Restricted – only three species were considered extant with no rare or listed species being found, CPUE was <1 individuals per hour, no recruitment was evident. We feel the Saline Branch lacks a significant mussel resource, and hesitate to speculate what effect, if any, the proposed artificial riffles will have on the recruitment of freshwater mussels to the Saline Branch at Busey Woods / Crystal Lake Park.

1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Project summary ...... 1 Introduction ...... 3 Project Location / Habitat characterization ...... 3 Background ...... 5 Methods ...... 6 Results / Discussion ...... 7 Acknowledgements ...... 7 Literature Cited ...... 7 Tables Table 1 – List of native freshwater mussels known from the Saline Branch sub-basin (Salt Fork Vermilion River drainage) based upon historical records (INHS Mollusk Collection database, Champaign), and those collected by INHS personnel on 14 August 2015 from Busey Woods / Crystal Lake Park, Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois ...... 9 Figures Figure 1 – Map of the Saline Branch (Salt Fork Vermilion River drainage) at Busey Woods / Crystal Lake Park, Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois, where a survey for freshwater mussels was conducted by INHS personnel on 14 August 2015 ...... 4 Figure 2 – Saline Branch (Salt Fork Vermilion River drainage) at Busey Woods / Crystal Lake Park, Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois (Latitude 40.12416°N, Longitude 88.20965°W) ...... 5

2 INTRODUCTION This report is submitted in response to a request from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) for the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) to conduct a freshwater mussel survey in the Saline Branch (Salt Fork Vermilion River drainage) in Busey Woods / Crystal Lake Park, Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois. IDNR proposes to install instream riffles as compensation for a 2002 ammonia release and fish kill in the Saline Branch. The mussel survey will provide updated survey data prior to their restoration effort. In this report, we summarize the results of the freshwater mussel survey in this area conducted by INHS personnel on 14 August 2015. Nomenclature used for freshwater mussels discussed in this report follows Graf and Cummings (2007) with slight modifications. The current status of threatened and endangered species of freshwater mussels discussed in this report is taken from the Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board (IESPB) (2015).

PROJECT LOCATION / HABITAT CHARACTERIZATION This project area lies entirely within the Saline Branch (Salt Fork Vermilion River drainage) at Busey Woods / Crystal Lake Park, Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois; Latitude 40.12416°N, Longitude 88.20965°W (Figure 1). The stream was sampled from just downstream of the West Country Club Road bridge (Latitude: 40.12652°N, Longitude: 88.21042°W) to just upstream of the Broadway Avenue bridge (Latitude: 40.11962°N, Longitude: 88.21019°W). Saline Branch was approximately 20 feet wide and 2.5 feet deep (maximum values), and had a flow rate of less than 0.5 feet/second (Figure 2). Stream substrates were sand and sandy gravel / rip-rap with pockets of clay hardpan and woody debris; no aquatic vegetation or undercut banks were present (Figure 2). The riparian areas were trees (Figure 2) and a portion of the stream banks were cemented. The Saline Branch flows in a southern-southeasterly direction at this location, and flows into the Salt Fork approximately 13 miles downstream.

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Figure 1. Map of the project area at Saline Branch (Salt Fork Vermilion River drainage) at Busey Woods / Crystal Lake Park, Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois, where a survey for freshwater mussels was conducted by INHS personnel on 14 August 2015. Balloons indicate upstream (Latitude: 40.12652°N, Longitude: 88.21042°W) and downstream (Latitude: 40.11962°N, Longitude: 88.21019°W) boundaries of the project location.

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Figure 2. Saline Branch (Salt Fork Vermilion River drainage) at Busey Woods / Crystal Lake Park, Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois (Latitude: 40.12416°N, Longitude: 88.20965°W). Photo is facing upstream in a southerly direction on 14 August 2015 and taken on the bridge within the park (Judith Miller photo).

BACKGROUND The Saline Branch, historically referred to as West Branch of the Salt Fork, is located exclusively in Champaign County, is a tributary of the Salt Fork Vermilion River, and drains nearly 75 mi2 (Larimore and Smith, 1963). This area is part of the Bloomington Ridged Plain within the till plain section of the Central Lowland Province (Blake-Coleman, 1984). The streambed is predominantly sandy gravel, and the stream banks are incised as a result of channelization and are covered by a mixture of trees, shrubs and grasses (Blake-Coleman, 1984). The Biological Stream Characterization (Bertrand et al., 1996) rated the reach of the Saline Branch that contains the project area (= upstream of the confluence) as a “Class C” stream (Moderate Aquatic Resource). The designation of the Saline Branch changes to a "Class B" Stream (Highly Valued Aquatic Resource) from its mouth to its confluence with Boneyard Creek, which is ~0.5 miles downstream of project area. A major source of aquatic pollution in the Salt Fork Vermilion River, including the Saline Branch, was untreated effluent from Champaign-Urbana and other townships. While wastewater treatment plants have lessened the effects, degradation from effluent still persists (Baker, 1922; Thomas and Hunt, 1930; Van Cleave, 1940; Matteson and Dexter, 1966; Suloway et al., 1981). Other human-induced modifications in the Salt Fork basin include draining of wetlands,

5 dredging of streams, pollution from agriculture and industrial sources, and urbanization (Baker, 1922; Larimore and Smith, 1963; Smith, 1968; Page et al., 1992; Larimore and Bayley, 1996). Although the watershed is primarily agriculture, most stream reaches have intact riparian zones and sand, gravel, and cobble substrates (Smith, 1968; Page et al., 1992). Fourteen species of native freshwater mussels have been reported from the Saline Branch sub- basin, including the state-threatened Spike (Elliptio dilatata) and Little Spectaclecase (Villosa lienosa) (INHS Mollusk Collection database, Champaign; Table 1). Neither the Spike nor the Little Spectaclecase have been collected as live or fresh-dead in the Saline Branch and are presumed extirpated (Table 1). All other species collected in the sub-basin are common inhabitants of central Illinois streams that are not listed as endangered or threatened at the state or federal level (Cummings and Mayer, 1997; Tiemann et al., 2007; IESPB, 2015). A literature review and a search of the INHS Mollusk Collection’s database were conducted for historical and recent records of freshwater mussels in the Saline Branch in Busey Woods / Crystal Lake Park. Since 1969, two surveys were conducted in the park (Table 1) – on 25 August 1996 by INHS personal C.A. Mayer et al. and on 24 June 2005 by K.S. Cummings and J.S. Tiemann (= Busey Woods / Crystal Lake Park BioBlitz). During these two surveys, no live mussels were collected (Table 1), and all fresh-dead individuals were common inhabitants of central Illinois streams (Cummings and Mayer, 1997; Tiemann et al., 2007). Lastly, in 1988, a fresh-dead Pink Heelspittler (Potamilus alatus) was incidentally collected by an INHS biologist during non-mollusk related activities (INHS Mollusk Collection database).

METHODS A freshwater mussel survey was conducted in the Saline Branch at Busey Woods / Crystal Lake Park by INHS personnel J.S. Tiemann, S.A. Douglass, R.M. Vinsel, Sarah Baker, Claire Butkus, Kelsey Low, and Eleanor Moen on 14 August 2015. The water clarity (to streambed) allowed freshwater mussels to be collected by hand-picking and visual detection (e.g., trails, siphons, exposed shell) along the approximate 1,100-yard stretch of stream from just downstream of the West County Club Road bridge (Latitude: 40.12652°N, Longitude: 88.21042°W) to just upstream of the Broadway Avenue bridge (Latitude: 40.11962°N, Longitude: 88.21019°W) for 7 person-hours. Efforts were made to cover all available habitat types present at a site including riffles, runs, pools, slack water, and areas of differing substrates. Additionally, both banks and dried areas were visually searched for the presence of shells. All live mussels were identified, counted, measured, and released, and dead shell material was classified as fresh-dead (periostracum present, nacre pearly, and soft tissue may be present) or relict (periostracum eroded, nacre faded, shell chalky) based on condition of the best shell found (Table 1). A species was considered extant if it was represented by live or fresh-dead shell material (Szafoni, 2001). Assemblage parameters recorded included extant and total species richness, presence of rare or listed species, catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE – number of individuals per hour), and recent recruitment if individuals with <3 external growth rings or lengths <30 mm were present (Szafoni, 2001). These parameters were used to classify the

6 mussel resources as Unique, Highly Valued, Moderate, Limited, or Restricted (Szafoni, 2001). Dead shell was retained for deposition into the INHS Mollusk Collection, Champaign.

RESULTS / DISCUSSION Only one live individual was found [Fatmucket (Lampsilis siliquoidea)] during the survey (Table 1). This individual was a female, was approximately 40 mm in length, and had 4 external growth rings. Two additional species [Cylindrical Papershell (Anodontoides ferussacianus) and White Heelsplitter (Lasmigona complanata)] were collected only as fresh-dead and one other species [Plain Pocketbook (Lampsilis cardium)] was collected only as relict (Table 1). No species collected as either live or shell material are listed at the state or federal level. The results from our survey and those from previous surveys (e.g., Stodola et al., 2013) suggest the Saline Branch lacks a significant mussel resource. Using the Mussel Classification Index (Szafoni, 2001), the mussel resource in the Saline Branch at Busey Woods / Crystal Lake Park is classified as Restricted – only three species were considered extant with no rare or listed species being found, CPUE was <1 individuals per hour, no recruitment was evident. Similarly, Stodola et al. (2013) sampled three sites in the Saline Branch and all three were classified as Restricted because of low extant species richness, rare taxa, CPUE and recruitment. One site was located upstream of Busey Woods / Crystal Lake Park, and the other two were located downstream near the St. Joseph township. Given the lack of a nearby source population (e.g., Stodola et al., 2013), it is unknown what effect, if any, the proposed artificial riffles will have on the recruitment of freshwater mussels to the Saline Branch at Busey Woods / Crystal Lake Park.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Sarah Baker (INHS), Claire Butkus (INHS), Kelsey Low (INHS), and Eleanor Moen (INHS) assisted in the field. Josh Sherwood (INHS) offered suggestions and historical information on the Saline Branch. Judith Miller (Urbana Parks District) allowed use of photograph in Figure 2.

LITERATURE CITED Baker, F.C. 1922. The molluscan fauna of the Big Vermilion River, Illinois, with special reference to its modification as a result of pollution by sewage and manufacturing wastes. Illinois Biological Monographs 7:105-224 + 15 pls. Bertrand, W.A., R.L. Hite, and D.M. Day. 1996. Biological Stream Characterization (BSC): Biological assessment of Illinois stream quality through 1993. Biological Streams Characterization Work Group, Springfield, Illinois. 44 pp. Blake-Coleman, W. 1984. Nationwide Urban Runoff Project, Champaign, Illinois. The Biological Impact of Urban Runoff on the Saline Branch Drainage Ditch and Boneyard Creek. Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Division of Water Pollution Control report, EPA/WPC/84- 028, Springfield, IL. 60pp.

7 Cummings, K.S. and C.A. Mayer. 1997. Distributional checklist and status of Illinois freshwater mussels (Mollusca: Unionacea). pp. 129-145, in K.S. Cummings, A.C. Buchanan, C.A. Mayer, and T.J. Naimo (eds.). Conservation and Management of Freshwater Mussels II: Initiatives for the Future. Proceedings of a UMRCC Symposium, 16-18 October 1995, St. Louis, MO. Upper Conservation Committee, Rock Island, IL. 293 pp. Graf, D.L and K.S. Cummings. 2007. Review of the systematics and global diversity of freshwater mussel species (Bivalvia: Unionoida). Journal of Molluscan Studies 73:291-314. Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board. 2015. Checklist of Endangered and Threatened Animals and Plants of Illinois. Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board, Springfield, Illinois. 18 pp. Published online at http://www.dnr.state.il.us/espb/index.htm. Larimore, R.W. and P.W. Smith. 1963. The fishes of Champaign County, Illinois, as affected by 60 years of stream changes. Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin 28(2):299-382. Larimore, R.W. and P.B. Bayley. 1996. The fishes of Champaign County, Illinois, during a century of alterations of a prairie ecosystem. Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin 35:53-183. Matteson, M.R., and R.W. Dexter. 1966. Changes in pelecypod populations in Salt Fork of Big Vermilion River, Illinois, 1918-1962. Nautilus 79:96-101. Page, L.M., K.S Cummings, C.A. Mayer, S.L. Post, and M.E. Retzer. 1992. Biologically significant Illinois streams. An evaluation of the streams of Illinois based on aquatic biodiversity. Illinois Natural History Survey, Center for Biodiversity Technical Report 1992(1). 485 pp. Smith, P.W. 1968. An assessment of changes in the fish fauna of two Illinois rivers and its bearing on their future. Transactions of the Illinois State Academy of Science 61:31-45. Stodola, A.P., S.A. Bales, and D.K. Shasteen. 2013. Freshwater mussels of the Vermilion and Little Vermilion Rivers of the in Illinois. Illinois Natural History Survey Technical Report 2013 (27). Champaign, Illinois. 26 pp + appendix. Suloway, L., J.J. Suloway, and W.E. LaBerge. 1981b. The unionid mollusk (mussel) fauna of the Vermilion River system in Illinois. Illinois Department of Conservation. Final Report. 1981(July):1-76. Szafoni, R. E. 2001. Protocol for integrating freshwater mussel surveys into IDNR / IEPA stream basin surveys. Version 2.0. IDNR/ORC/Natural Heritage, Charleston, IL. 5 pp. Thomas, D.H. and F.D. Hunt. 1930. The fishes of Champaign County – a study of the distribution and abundance of fishes in small streams. Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin 19(1)1-101. Tiemann, J.S., K.S. Cummings, and C.A. Mayer. 2007. Updates to the distributional checklist and status of Illinois freshwater mussels (Mollusca: Unionidae). Transactions of the Illinois State Academy of Science 100: 107-123. Van Cleave, H. J. 1940. Ten years of observation on a fresh-water mussel population. Ecology 21:363-370.

8 ------Table 1. List of native freshwater mussels known from the Saline Branch sub-basin (Salt Fork Vermilion River drainage) based upon historical records (INHS Mollusk Collection database, Champaign), and those collected by INHS personnel on 25 August 1996, 24 June 2005, 14 August 2015 from Busey Woods / Crystal Lake Park, Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois. Data from these surveys include the number of live individuals, fresh-dead (FD), and relict (R) specimens, as well as effort (in person-hours), catch-per-unit-effort (number of individuals per hour), number of extant species (live and fresh-dead species), and total number of species (extant and relict species). Species in bold are considered extant in the Saline Branch sub-basin (collected as live or fresh-dead since 1999). Notations for special status species: ST – state-threatened. ------Subfamily Scientific name Common name 1996 2005 2015 Anodontinae Anodontoides ferussacianus Cylindrical Papershell R FD FD Lasmigona complanata White Heelsplitter FD Lasmigona compressa Creek Heelsplitter Pyganodon grandis Giant Floater Utterbackia imbecillis Paper Pondshell

Amblemilinae Amblema plicata Threeridge Elliptio dilatata ST Spike Fusconaia flava Wabash Pigtoe Uniomerus tetralasmus Pondhorn FD

Lampsilinae Lampsilis cardium Plain Pocketbook R Lampsilis siliquoidea Fatmucket 1 Potamilus alatus Pink Heelsplitter Toxolasma parvum Lilliput Villosa lienosa ST Little Spectaclecase

Effort 1 2 7 Catch-per-Unit-Effort 0 0 0.1 Number of extant species 0 2 3 Total number of species 1 2 4

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