The Lower Wisconsin Riverway is a unique gem of wildness, beauty, and biodiversity not only in Wisconsin but in the entire US. But this idyllic landscape is increasingly under threat, with impacts not only to recreational opportunities but to the creatures that call the river home. In September 2023, the unfortunate combination of drought and hydropower dams reduced Wisconsin's namesake river to a proverbial trickle below the last dam and led to the worst-case scenario for the river's most vulnerable species: native freshwater mussels. These fascinating creatures are the unsung heroes of freshwater ecosystems, filtering massive amounts of water each day. As the water levels continued to fall in response to prolonged drought, tens of thousands of mussels were left stranded and drying in the hot sun. In response, volunteers took to the riverway to physically pick up and move thousands of stranded mussels to deeper water. This situation will happen again, and to be more prepared next time, Friends of the Lower Wisconsin Riverway created a mussel rescue notification system that quickly alerts volunteers when mussels need to be saved. This collaborative effort can serve as a model for other groups and rivers in the state. In this presentation, you'll learn all about the role dams and drought play in this ecosystem, the species most impacted by our changing climate, and what paddlers can do to aid in rescue efforts.