Johnson (1978) included this species as a synonym of Epioblasma penita. It is believed to be a distinct species by Stansbery (1983).Williams et al. (2008) also treat this as a distinct species.

A list of synonyms for this species can be found on The MUSSEL project web site (Graf and Cummings 2011).

Epioblasma othcaloogensis has been assessed as Critically Endangered under criterion B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv)+B2ab(i,ii,iii,iv), and is flagged as Possibly Extinct, due to its restricted range (it has an extent of occurrence of significantly less than 100 km² and an area of occupancy of significantly less than 10 km²),  is thought to occur at 0-5 locations (though it is thought to be extinct, so believed to occur at zero locations), and is suffering a continued decline in extent of occurrence, area of occupancy, extent and quality of habitat and the number of subpopulations or locations at which it occurs due to continued threats from the effects of damming and pollution in its historical range. The last collection of the species was made in 1974 from a portion of the Coosa River drainage in Alabama and Georgia. Surveys in 1990 and 1991 failed to relocate the species, but potentially suitable habitat is still available in the upper Coosa River drainage. Historically, this species was known from the upper Coosa River system and the Cahaba River above the fall line in Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee, but has not been reported in many years.

Historically, this species was known from the upper Coosa River system and the Cahaba River above the fall line in Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee, but has not been reported in over twenty years years and may be extinct (Parmalee and Bogan 1998, Mirarchi et al. 2004, USFWS 2004, Williams et al. 2008). In Tennessee, it has not been reported in many years and was only known from the Conasauga River in Polk Co. (Parmalee and Bogan 1998). In the Coosa River basin in Georgia, it is known historically from the Etowah, Oostanaula, and Conasauga River drainages but has not been collected live recently (Williams and Hughes 1998).

Only one record of this species outside of the Coosa River drainage is known (University of Michigan, Museum of Zoology Collection - No. 91261). It was labeled “Cahaba River, Alabama”, with no accompanying data. This record is questionable, since the Cahaba River was well-sampled during the early 1900s and no other specimens are known. Therefore this species is not considered to be part of the Cahaba River fauna (Williams et al. 2008). The most recent documented museum collections of this species were taken in 1973 from the Conasauga River, Georgia, and Little Canoe Creek, on the Etowah and St. Clair county line, Alabama.

On current knowledge, the species has an estimated extent of occurrence of less than 100 km² and an area of occupancy of less than 10 km² (probably significantly less for both). If it is still extant, there are likely to be fewer than five occurrences, but in all likelihood, this species is extinct (NatureServe 2009).

Historically, Epioblasma othcaloogensis was found in streams of the Coosa River system and Conasauga River of Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee. However, when it was last collected in 1974, it was only found within a small portion of the Upper Coosa River drainage in Georgia and Alabama. If the species is still extant, it is likely to occur in fewer than five occurrences, but in all likelihood this species is extinct. The most recent records were from tributaries of the Coosa River (above Weiss Dam in Alabama) in the early 1970s, and the Cahaba in the 1930s (USFWS 2004, Mirarchi et al. 2004). The Cahaba River specimen is questionable, at best (Williams et al. 2008). The most recent documentation of museum specimens were taken in 1973 from the Conasauga River, Georgia, and Little Canoe Creek on the Etowah and St. Clair County line, Alabama (Williams et al. 2008). Potentially suitable habitat can still be found in several rivers and streams of the upper Coosa River drainage, but it has not been found in the Cahaba River drainage in several decades.

There have been no recent occurrences despite repeated searches over the last ten years. However, the range is large, so that there is a chance that the species may still be extant; plus individuals are small and difficult to find as they bury completely in the substrate (USFWS 2004).

The only available habitat information appears to be in van der Schalie (1938). He lists specimens he questionably called this species from Lily Shoals of the Cahaba River. Species of this genus typically were found in strong currents and coarse particle substrates.

The species is threatened by habitat modification, sedimentation, and other forms of water quality degradation. Potential habitat is locally impacted by carpet mill and other industrial discharge, sewage treatment plant discharge, urban and agricultural runoff, and surface mine drainage (USFWS 1997). Disappearance from significant portions of its range are primarily due to changes in river and stream channels due to dams, dredging, or mining, and historic or episodic pollution events. The species is not known to survive in impounded waters and more than 1700 km of large and small river habitat in the basin have been impounded by dams for navigation, flood control, water supply, and/or hydroelectric production purposes (USFWS 2004).

In the Mobile River basin, the greatest threats are dams (for navigation, water supply, electricity, recreation, and flood control), channelisation (causing accelerated erosion, altered depth, loss of habitat diversity, substrate stability, and riparian canopy), dredging (for navigation or gravel mining), mining (for coal, sand, gravel, or gold) in locally concentrated areas, point source pollution (industrial waste effluent, sewage treatment plants, carpet and fabric mills, paper mills and refineries in mainstem rivers), and non-point source pollution (construction, agriculture, silviculture, urbanisation) (USFWS 2000).

Isolated imperiled populations in the Mobile River basin are likely to be vulnerable to random accidents, such as toxic spills, and to naturally catastrophic events, such as droughts and floods, even if land use and human populations were to remain constant within isolated watersheds (USFWS 2000). This species does not tolerate impoundments.

This species is not utilised.

This species was listed as federally endangered in the U.S. in 1992 and a recovery plan was prepared (USFWS 2000). However, Williams et al. (2010) lists this species as possibly extinct according to the AFS assessment. Similarly, the species has been assigned a NatureServe Global Heritage Status Rank of GH - Possibly Extinct, and State/Province Status Ranks of SH - Possibly Extinct in Tennessee, and SX - Extinct in Alabama, and Georgia (NatureServe 2009).

A specific recovery plan has been created for the Mobile River basin (USFWS, 2000) which contains the following objectives: (1) protect habitat integrity and quality of river and stream segments that currently support or could support imperiled aquatic species, (2) consider options for free-flowing river and stream mitigation strategies that give high priority to avoidance and restoration, (3) promote voluntary stewardship as a practical and economical means of reducing nonpoint pollution from private land use, (4) encourage and support community based watershed stewardship planning and action, (5) develop and implement programs and materials to educate the public on the need and benefits of ecosystem management, and to involve them in watershed stewardship, (6) conduct basic research on endemic aquatic species and apply the results toward management and protection of aquatic communities, (7) develop and implement technology for maintaining and propagating endemic species in captivity, (8) reintroduce aquatic species into restored habitats, as appropriate, (9) monitor listed species population levels and distributions and periodically review ecosystem management strategy, (10) coordinate ecosystem management actions (more detail in USFWS 2000).

Critical habitat has been designated in Alabama in the Cahaba River, Coosa River, Hatchet Creek, Kelly Creek, Big Canoe Creek, and the lower Coosa River; in Georgia in Oostanaula complex; and in Tennessee in Oostanaula complex (0 occupied, 549 unoccupied km) (USFWS 2004).

Further surveys are needed to determine whether this species is still extant. If it is still found, urgent measures have to be put in place to protect the species (site and habitat protection) and aid species recovery.