NATIONAL HARBOR — Potomac Riverkeeper Network is renovating a barge at National Harbor to provide a long-term home for a nursery and research facility aimed at restoring the mussel population in the Potomac River.
PRKN President Betsy Nicholas announced the project, which builds on the organization’s 50 Million Mussels initiative launched in 2019. Mussels can filter pollutants and sediments at a rate of 10 gallons per day per mussel.
“In 2019, we started our 50 Million Mussels project to restore and revitalize the population of mussels,” Nicholas said. “Originally, we had a small nursery at the National Harbor Marina, thanks to the generosity of the Bonneville Environmental Foundation and Peterson Family Foundation. This science barge will be a platform for restoration and innovation and will accelerate our ability to reach our goal of 50 million mussels.”
The science barge is equipped with two floating upwellers that house the mussels in the river throughout the year. These upwellers provide space and infrastructure for large-scale mussel propagation and higher-volume raising. PRKN plans to expand partnerships with Virginia Tech and Georgetown University for scientific studies on water quality, habitat resilience and ecosystem services.
With National Harbor as the project center, PRKN will host public education programs, community events and funder demonstrations, positioning the site as a hub and model for national mussel restoration.
Evan Quinter, PRKN Staff Scientist, highlighted the barge’s role in today’s mussel release.
“These mussels are the first lucky bivalves in a long line of future mussels to grow and thrive in the PRKN upwellers,” Quinter said. “Mussels not only grow months faster in rivers than hatcheries, but their water quality filtering abilities will begin to pull nutrients and pollutants out of the Potomac River.”
Nicholas added, “We could not be more excited about this development. Mussel restoration means so much for the health of the river and thus for better water quality and access for all our friends and neighbors — in fact, for all six million of us who rely on the Potomac.”
Southern Maryland communities that rely on the Potomac River for drinking water, recreation and quality of life stand to benefit from improved river health through expanded mussel restoration efforts.
Residents interested in learning more about the project or participating in upcoming public events can follow Potomac Riverkeeper Network for updates on the science barge and restoration activities at National Harbor.
