Mussel and Crayfish Survey – Cincinnati, Ohio

The project involved construction of a 13-mile natural gas pipeline (20-inch diameter). The Ohio Power and Siting Board (OPSB) required documentation to indicate that no freshwater mussel and Sloan’s crayfish (Orconectes sloanii) impacts would occur at stream crossings and demonstrate the rationale for this determination. During the field work along the corridor, perennial streams, intermittent streams, and ephemeral streams were identified that needed to be surveyed. To make a supported indication that no impacts would occur for freshwater mussels or the Sloan’s crayfish, STONE assessed each identified stream, using different levels of effort appropriate to each flow regime. STONE was subsequently retained to complete an additional freshwater mussel survey for another transmission line crossing.