As part of a mussel survey and relocation project, biologists at Holland Engineering completed snorkel surveys of the Huron River in metro Detroit. Due to the new mussel protocol requirements and tight project deadlines, this project had to be completed quickly and efficiently.
Freshwater mussels are filter feeders who burrow in the substrate of rivers, streams, and lakes throughout the world. The U.S. alone is home to some 300 species. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Nature Conservancy, approximately 70 percent of mussel species in North America are extinct or endangered. Michigan contains four federally listed species (six including two not found in the state since 1930) and twenty-six additional state-listed mussel species (all federally listed species are also listed in the state). Two of the state-listed species will be reviewed by the USFWS for possible federal listing before 2023.
The Cordova, Illinois cleaning is a unique event with many different groups working together along the Mississippi River. Holland Engineering Biologist, Larissa Herrera, volunteered for the Cordova Mussel Event in Cordova, Illinois this summer. The event is sponsored by the US Army Corps of Engineers and has been taking place for over 15 years. The …
Holland Engineering, Inc.’s Environmental Services Division has been busy this fall working with TransCanada’s Pipeline Company throughout Michigan. HEI’s Environmental staff have performed wetland delineations, stream assessments, threatened and endangered species assessments, wetland and stream restoration design, biological habitat assessments, unanticipated discovery plans, constructability and feasibility reviews for multiple anomaly dig sites and pipeline replacement projects.