Orange County NC Website
Atlantic pigtoe (Fusconaia masonry <br /> The Atlantic pigtoe is a sensitive freshwater mussel that was once widespread along the <br /> southern Atlantic slope, ranging from the Ogeechee River basin in Georgia north to the James River <br /> basin in Virginia. Today, the pigtoe has been lost across 60 percent of its range, and is now only found <br /> in mostly struggling populations in North Carolina and Virginia. 83 Fed. Reg. 51,572 (Oct. 11, 2018). <br /> The Atlantic pigtoe is 2 inches long, with a yellow and brown streaked shell. It is unique in that its <br /> shell is rhomboid in shape and the outer surface has an odd texture like cloth or parchment. These <br /> mussels improve water quality by filtering small particles from the water as they feed. More species of <br /> freshwater mussels are found in the Southeast than anywhere else in the world,but 75 percent of the <br /> region's freshwater mussels are now imperiled. Thirty-six southeastern mussel species have already <br /> been lost to extinction. <br /> Water pollution from the proposed Efland Station would travel Sevenmile Creek to the Eno <br /> River reach of proposed Unit 14 of the Atlantic pigtoe's critical habitat. This 18-mile stretch of the <br /> Eno River through Orange and Durham Counties starts below Eno Mountain Road and ends at NC 15- <br /> 501. 85 Fed. Reg.59,508 (Sep. 22, 2020). <br /> Map of Unit 14 NRI - Upper Neusa.River <br /> Subbasin Critical. Habitat !Unit for Atlantic Pigtoe <br /> Person Cdunty,Ate <br /> 1a Fever ti a,Sln_ <br /> ✓... .-_,i `,_ -t3fdFivl11+2�GdE([itty,•N <br /> f , Little River Siubbassir <br /> c <br /> z. 2 <br /> L�range county,Roc. ". <br /> r <br /> Durham Co€n y+ft <br /> *arnarwa County,PAC <br /> Upper Erk a River s `: <br /> II dal ' +r Y� Exao Rives r G <br /> v <br /> _ r <br /> "T <br /> J <br /> 0 .3 6 12 Miles Critical Habitat <br /> F Major Rivers. <br /> c� 4,25 815 11 Kilometers City Boundaries <br /> County Boundaries <br /> Page 14 <br />