
This spring, NCA partnered with Phelps Dodge (PDRC) to launch a new restoration project, creating additional habitat for ribbed mussels underneath their shoreline structure in Maspeth, Queens.
Ribbed mussels, Geukensia demissa, are a native species capable of filtering up to 30 gallons of water a day, removing particulate matter, harmful algaes, excess nitrogen, and even fecal bacteria like E. coli and Enterococcus. Ribbed mussels have been increasingly considered as a potential means of improving water quality and reducing the effects of Combined Sewage Overflow (CSO). Even though there are hundreds of thousands of ribbed mussels in Newtown Creek they only grow in areas with nooks and crannies to attach their threads.
To date, we have experimented with various habitat projects, creating attractive and textured surfaces for wild mussels to grow on otherwise sterile shorelines. In this project, we received a permit from NYS DEC to seed structures with mussels, collected from other established populations in the Creek, in an effort to accelerate full settlement.









We designed and constructed new habitat structures from saltwater-resistant, upcycled hardwood from our friends at Tri-Lox, and fastened with dowel pins and marine epoxy to stave off corrosion from metal components. We’re anticipating that the angled crevices and knotty wood will be an enticing place for our collected mussels to attach and new spat (baby mussels) to settle.
After collecting mussels with our permit, we let them re-settle onto the new structures with a flow through system setup on our shoreline at Kingsland Wildflowers, providing them needed nutrients and time to reattach their threads onto their new homes. Then the structures were transported and installed on the PDRC shoreline with their oversight and permissions. We will monitor the health, growth, and recruitment (new mussel growth) on the structures in the coming year(s) and use this pilot to help inform future restoration plans and efforts.
Many thanks to project partners + advisors, especially PDRC for making it happen!