YouTube has several videos about our field work, cool critters, and the importance of Maryland's freshwater resources. Please subscribe to the DNRMBSS channel on YouTube.com, and check back here for new videos showing off the research that helps us understand how rivers and streams influence communities, both plant, animal, and human.
Daniels Dam Eel Ladder on the Patapsco River
The Daniels Dam eel ladder was constructed in 2014 with funding from the Maryland Port Administration to facilitate passage of young eels upstream in their migration. The dam acts as a migratory barrier to many fish species, preventing movement into the upper portion of the Patapsco River. Passage was low for the first five years of ladder operation (averaging 28 eels per year), but it has increased dramatically each year since the removal of Bloede Dam downstream, with over 36,000 eels using the ladder in 2022 alone.
Searching for the Maryland Darter
The Maryland Darter is the only fish species endemic to Maryland, meaning it is found only in this state. It was last seen several years ago in Deer Creek near to the Susquehanna River. State biologists are concerned that changes in land use have caused the extirpation of this unique bottom-dwelling fish. DNR is conducting surveys in conjunction with Frostburg State and Marshall University to see if there is a population still inhabiting the area.
Patapsco Mussel Survey
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources conducted a qualitative survey of freshwater mussels in the Patapsco River near to Ellicot City. This survey, associated with the planned removal of old dams on the river, found live and dead specimens of the state listed Triangle Floater. This video explains the project, the protocols used, and some characteristics of the Triangle Floater and freshwater mussels in general.
Pocketbook Mussel Displaying Lure
Freshwater mussels typically require a fish host to transform their larvae, called glochidia, into juvenile mussels. This female plain pocketbook uses a minnow like “lure” to trick fish into striking its gills, which releases the mussel’s larvae. The glochidia attach to the gills of the fish where they receive nutrients and eventually release from the fish as juvenile mussels.
Maryland Streams: an Undiscovered Realm
Biologists at DNR created this video to illustrate how important freshwater rivers and streams are to Maryland. It showcases serveral apsects of our freshwater resources. This clip is just the introduction to the full film, available on youtube via our MDDNRMBSS channel.
