Freshwater pearl mussel survival fears rise amid restoration work in Jyllinkoski, assurance given by project coordinator
Restoration work in Jyllinkoski, Kankaanpää, has alarmed locals who worry about the survival of the highly endangered freshwater pearl mussel. The river environment has dramatically changed due to the lowering of water levels during restoration efforts. Dead mussels have been found in large quantities along the riverbank as a result.
However, Life Revives project coordinator Lotta Mäkinen assures that all the mussels found on the shore were of viable species and there is no cause for concern for the endangered mussels in the area. Before the restoration work began, a study was conducted on the potential impact on the mussel population.
The largest known population of these mussels in the Karvianjoki river, which flows through North Satakunta, is found below the Jyllinkoski dam. This dam has acted as a barrier to trout migration, which the mussels need for reproduction, making their presence above the dam unlikely.
The Vatajankoski electricity company is currently dismantling the old Jyllinkoski hydroelectric dam as part of the restoration work. The inconvenience caused by the restoration is expected to be temporary and the mussel population should recover once the water level has been raised back to normal.
The freshwater pearl mussel is one of Finland’s most significant species in terms of natural value and is classified as extremely endangered. It can live up to over 200 years, making it the longest living animal species in the country. The mussel is a keystone species in its habitat, meaning that if it were to disappear from flowing waters, many other species living in the same environment would also vanish.