Science in service of
freshwater conservation

We are a dynamic research facility dedicated to restoring and understanding North Carolina’s aquatic biodiversity,
established through the renovation of an existing NC State University research wing located at Historic Yates Mill County Park

20 acre

Historic Yates Mill Pond supplies water to the facility near Raleigh, NC.

4400 ft²

of indoor and outdoor research and propagation space.

400 GPM

of filtered pond water pond water delivery rate.

4

research spaces including a wet lab, in vitro lab, office, and classroom.

Tour the lab VIRTUALLY

Ever wondered what it takes to save a species? Step inside the lab and explore the science behind freshwater conservation.

Enter the Lab

Our Story

The Yates Mill Aquatic Conservation Center (YMACC) was established through renovation of an existing NC State University research wing located at Historic Yates Mill County Park. Funding for the renovation and operation of the facility came from the NCDOT through a settlement over the construction of the southern portion of I-540 around the Raleigh, NC metropolitan area. This portion of the highway project crossed over Swift Creek (Neuse River Basin), which holds three federally listed freshwater mussels, one federally endangered fish species, and one federally threatened salamander. Our mission is to help conserve these species and others like them in the state through propagation, research, education, and public outreach.

A map of I-540 with Swift Creek highlighted.

Our water source is the 20-acre Historic Yates Mill Pond, near Raleigh, NC.
Yates Mill Aquatic Conservation Center
In the classroom, we start tours, give educational presentations, and host workshops.
In vitro propagation is an important tool for freshwater mussel conservation when we do not know, or can not acquire the host fish.
The pump house holds pumps and filters capable of delivering up to 400 gallons per minute of pond water, filtered to 25 microns. Out-going water is also filtered and UV-sterilized here.
Inside the pump house, these self-cleaning, stainless steel filters help keep foreign organisms out of our most sensitive juvenile mussel cultures. The outgoing filters and UV sterilization are for biosecurity and allow for holding of species from outside the Swift Cr. watershed.
Pulse-flow systems for holding newly metamorphosed juvenile mussels (Stage I)
Vertically stacked tanks for Stage II of mussel growout. This system can be flow through, recirculating or any combination of the two.
Twelve flow through troughs (8’x3′) are used for mussel grow-out and long-term holding of adults.
Fish are quarantined upon entry and before leaving the YMACC to ensure biosecurity of our facility and the safety of wild populations.
These systems can be used to hold inoculated host fish or raise juvenile Carolina Madtoms.
Custom built recirculating aquaculture system for holding fish inoculated with mussel larvae
Eight 180-gallon tanks with flow through pond water can be used for temporary fish holding and will be plumbed to also function as filtered, recirculating systems.
Recirculating systems for the endangered Magnificent Ramshorn snail.