TLDR: It can be calculated based on the clearance rates found in this study that
enough E. complanata mussels to clear the entire 6.5 acre Constitution Gardens
Reflecting Pool in one month clearing constantly at 40.5ml/mussel/hr would be:
6.8 acre-feet x 1,233,482 liters/acre-foot x 2.75 ft depth = 23.1 x 106 liters
divided by 744 hours/month x 40.5 ml/hr/mussel = 766,678 mussels. This
would be 99,515 lb of mussels, average weight 59 gm.
Similar calculations for C. fluminea give 307,409 clams or 7,033 lb of clams.
Although the proposal to use native mussels as a clearing agent for the
Constitution Gardens Reflecting Pool is admirable and ecologically friendly, it
would be a formidable amount of molluscs to collect and distribute in the
Reflecting Pool as well as probably affect the sources in local rivers. The
suggestion was good but the implementation is not advised.
