Mussels Being Reintroduced in the Cedar River

(ABC 6 News) – The Minnesota DNR is testing southeast Minnesota lakes and rivers to see if they’re a viable place for an increase in the mussel population.

The project is funded by the Environmental Natural Resources Trust which has funded over 1,700 projects across Minnesota for nearly thirty years.

State DNR agrees that a portion of the Cedar River south of Austin will allow mussels to return. Most species are very helpful to the environment. Lindsay Ohlman works for the Minnesota DNR, and she notices how much it helps clean up the lake.

Three different species of mussels have seen growth since this project began in 1991. Crews will be back at it for another day before wrapping up their work; more surveying projects are expected in the coming years.