Federal critical habitat designation protects nearly 3,814 river miles nationwide, but excludes the Ohio River—even as a newly discovered sheepnose mussel population thrives near New Richmond, Ohio
This spring, a landmark federal rule designated critical habitat for four imperiled freshwater mussel species under the Endangered Species Act. Unfortunately, the Ohio River was left out of the ruling.
Published April 28, 2026, the Final Rule (Federal Register 2026-08146) designates approximately 3,814 unique river miles of critical habitat across 76 units in 17 states for the rayed bean, sheepnose, snuffbox, and spectaclecase mussels—all species that filter water, stabilize riverbeds, and support healthy aquatic ecosystems. For these four species and the watersheds they inhabit, this is a meaningful step forward.
But for the Ohio River, it is a missed opportunity.
The Ohio River: Under-Surveyed and Under-Protected
Despite advocacy from the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, multiple state agencies, and public commenters—who requested that Ohio River segments be included as critical habitat for the sheepnose mussel—the US Fish and Wildlife Service determined that available data did not meet the legal threshold for designation. The agency acknowledged that large portions of the Ohio River remain significantly under-sampled, and that this data gap contributes to uncertainty about the true status of sheepnose populations there.
Ohio River Foundation (ORF) views this not as a final answer, but as a call to action. If the Ohio River was excluded because we don’t know enough—then we need to learn more, and fast.
White heelsplitter found in tributary of the Ohio River
A Remarkable Discovery—Right in Our Backyard
The urgency is underscored by a remarkable finding from October 2025: a systematic mussel survey conducted near New Richmond, Ohio, documented 3,068 live mussels representing 24 species—including 33 live sheepnose mussels, three of which were juveniles, indicating an actively reproducing population. This assemblage is one of the most robust sheepnose communities documented in the Ohio River in recent memory, and may represent a significant stronghold for the species. The sheepnose mussel is a federally endangered mussel species once common in the Ohio River and its watershed.
This discovery is now at the center of a new collaborative conservation effort. ORF, EDGE Engineering and Science, and the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (CZBG) have partnered—with funding from CZBG—to study this population and develop the first-ever Essential Habitat Area (EHA) metrics for the federally endangered sheepnose mussel.
Sheepnose mussel, Kristen Lundh/USFWS, Public Domain, https://www.fws.gov/media/sheepnose-mussel-3
Science, Education, and Community: A Three-Way Partnership
Led by emerging malacologist Matt Wimmers under the advice of EDGE Senior Malacologist John Spaeth, the scientific phase of the project will analyze habitat data from the New Richmond survey to build a transferable EHA framework—establishing quantitative criteria for what a healthy sheepnose habitat looks like. The resulting technical report, expected by late 2026, will be submitted for peer review and shared with USFWS and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to directly inform future conservation and recovery planning.
ORF will complement this scientific work by bringing the sheepnose’s story into New Richmond classrooms. Through ORF’s Mussels in the Classroom (MIC) program—which has reached nearly 20,000 students since 2017—ORF aims to engage 300–400 K–12 students in the New Richmond School District in hands-on learning about freshwater mussel biology, watershed ecology, and the rare species thriving in their own community.
Mussels in the Classroom student holding a live freshwater mussel.
Looking Ahead
ORF calls on federal and state agencies, researchers, and conservation partners to prioritize survey efforts in the Ohio River mainstem. The data gap that prevented the Ohio River from receiving critical habitat protection today can—and must—be filled. The New Richmond discovery proves that when we look, we find; and what we find matters.
Critical habitat designation is one powerful tool for freshwater mussel conservation—but it is not the only one. ORF remains committed to using education, science, and community partnership to protect the Ohio River.