Michigan and Illinois are working together to protect the Great Lakes from invasive Asian Carp. The agreement gives Illinois the right to use up to $8 million in funds appropriated in 2018 by the Michigan Legislature. The money will go toward the pre-construction engineering and design phase of the Brandon Road Ecosystem Project.
The Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Joliet is a critical “pinchpoint” for snagging bighead, silver and black carp before they get free reign on the Great Lakes. The advanced technology will include an electric barrier, underwater sound, an air bubble curtain, and a flushing lock in a newly engineered channel to keep the invasive carp away while still allowing commercial barge traffic.
Michigan DNR Director Dan Eichinger said, “Michigan and Illinois agree on the importance of keeping invasive carp out of the Great Lakes, and natural resources staff from both states have been working together to support the Army Corps’ actions to deter and remove invasive carp in the waterway. This agreement is the natural progression of our existing partnership as we take steps toward a more permanent solution to prevent this serious threat to the economy and ecology of the Great Lakes.”
Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland
