Is the Delaware River's water quality improving in Philadelphia?
PHILADELPHIA - The discovery of new life thriving along the once murky waters of a major Philadelphia river shows signs of promise for the future.
More than 100 freshwater mussels were found during a survey near Pennypack Creek on the Delaware River in Northeast Philadelphia last week.
The survey is hosted by Riverfront North, the Discovery Center, Pennypack Environmental Center, Aquatic Research and Restoration Center and Audubon Mid-Atlantic.
It aims to help build filtration within the Delaware River watershed and provide cleaner water for local residents.
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Like oysters and clams, freshwater mussels attach along riverbeds to sift and feed on bacteria, algae, and other unhealthy things in the water.
They can filter up to 10 gallons of water per day!
"Mussels cannot exist in an area where it’s heavily contaminated," Nathan McWilliams, a stewardship manager for Riverfront North, told WHYY. "So, that’s a good indicator species, and shows overall ecological improvement in that area."