TVA releases over 100 rare Appalachian muscles in Powell, Clinch Rivers to help clean water

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - The Tennessee Valley Authority announced they are working to release mussels in the Powell and Clinch Rivers.

“We are working in partnership with Tennessee and Virginia wildlife to release 100 young, extremely rare Appalachian rockshell mussels into the rocky bottom of the Powell and Clinch Rivers after successfully breeding them in a hatchery,” TVA said in a social media post.

The muscles play a role in filtering the water they use for power production. They can filter up to 15 gallons of water a day, according to TVA.

“Some mussel populations have declined, requiring people to come together to restore them to the rivers that so many depend on for food, clean water and power,” TVA said.

One specific focus of the project is the Appalachian rockshell muscle, wh