KENT COUNTY, MI – Biologists were surprised to find several species of rare freshwater mussels in one of West Michigan’s most polluted creeks at a park in a suburb of Grand Rapids.

Freshwater mussels are often called “livers of the river” for their ability to filter out pollutants. The discovery in Plaster Creek was made during the first step of a multi-year effort to improve the recreational and environmental conditions at Covenant Park in Kentwood.

“Plaster Creek has this pretty notorious reputation,” said Eric Snyder, a biology professor at Grand Valley State University (GVSU). “It’s been hammered by runoff from the airport, from a lot of urbanization.”

The July 16 survey was done as part of a larger project to build trails and bridges in Kentwood and stabilize the Plast Creek’s ba

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