• Canoeists paddle by tree lined shores

    Saint Croix

    National Scenic Riverway WI,MN

There are park alerts in effect.
hide Alerts »

  • High Water

    The rivers are running high and fast and the water is cold. Be prepared and cautious if venturing out on the rivers!

  • Wells Closed

    Beginning in 2013, water will no longer be available at McDowell Bridge Landing, Riverside Landing, and the Marshland District Office on Highway 70. Please plan accordingly and bring an adequate supply of water.

Mollusks

A yellowish-brown mussel, buried part way in the river bottom, has a white fleshy part sticking out from the shell

A mussel extrudes a lure for fish to attract them them to her.

NPS, Multi-agency zebra mussel dive team

Native Freshwater Mussels

The St. Croix has is known for having a mostly intact mussel population. Meaning, the species that lived here 100 years ago are still the species living here today. This includes 40 species of mussels, two of which are on the endangered species list. To see a list of the mussel species in the St. Croix, print a mussel fact sheet, or to learn more... about mussels

 
Female mussels need to find a fish to carry their glochidia, (baby mussels) for a few weeks. Then the young can survive on their own and will drop to the river bottom. Different mussel species use different methods to attract the fish and some are very picky as to what kind of fish they want to attract. Watch some videos of different mussels trying to attract a fish.
 
 
 
 

Did You Know?

What looks like a striped fish with several tails is actually the opening of the mussel shell which is hard to see.

Mussels rely on fish to carry their young around until they are old enough to drop to the river bottom.  To attract the fish and attach their young, mussels put on displays that make fish think they are fish or other food.  The mussel shell, which is all we normally see, is now barely visible.