Dr. Paul Steen

The pending removal of the Peninsular Dam later this year has caused concern for specific animals in its ecosystem. A group of local volunteers have concluded an effort to relocate mussels around the dam this summer. WEMU’s Joshua Nieman reports.

Over the summer, the Huron River Watershed Council conducted an extensive survey of freshwater mussels in the Huron River to determine potential impacts when the Peninsular Paper Dam is removed. It found that removing the Pen Dam could release sediment, potentially smothering downstream mussel populations. Once the dam is removed, though, the river will return to a more natural state, benefiting mussel species over time. WEMU's David Fair looked at the research and its implications with Huron River Watershed Council Ecologist Dr. Paul Steen.