Groups developing 3 options for blocking Asian carp

Asian carp
There are several types of Asian carp, including the jumping silver carp, shown here on the Missouri River. They pose hazards for boaters, but they also pose an ecological hazard for native fishes.
Photo by Jason Jenkins, University of Missouri

Two organizations are developing a study that will outline three options for separating the Great Lakes and Mississippi River watersheds in the Chicago area to prevent migration of Asian carp and other invasive species between them.

Leaders of the Great Lakes Commission and the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Commission plan to release their report in January. They provided an update on their progress Friday during Great Lakes Week, a gathering of advocates, scientists and policymakers in Detroit.

One option would place five barriers near intersections of rivers and Lake Michigan. The others would place three barriers or a single barrier at locations farther from the lake.

The two groups will present their findings to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is conducting its own study.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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