Brandon Road Project to Keep Invasive Carp Out of Great Lakes Moves to Construction Phase

On July 1, 2024, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, announced that the District and the States of Illinois and Michigan had signed a partnership agreement for the Brandon Road Interbasin Project.  

The Brandon Road Lock and Dam,  shown partially in the video below, is viewed as a critical pinch point for stopping invasive carp from entering Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes:


The signed partnership agreement "allows $274 million in federal funding, including $226 million provided by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and $114 million in state funding to be used for construction of the first of three construction increments of the $1.15 billion project designed to prevent the upstream movement of aquatic nuisance species into the Great Lakes" according to the Army Corps' press release.

The Brandon Road Interbasin Project will consist of acoustic and electric deterrents, along with a leading edge bubbler and a flushing lock, according to this graphic from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Rock Island District:
Graphic by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District

Efforts to stop invasive carp from reaching the Great Lakes have included the State of Illinois hiring commercial fishers to catch the carp before they reach the Brandon Road Lock and Dam.  For example, the video below from 2018 shows a fishing demonstration at  Rock Run Rookery.  The lake at the Forest Preserve District of Will County location is connected to the Des Plaines River and asian carp prefer the calm environment of the lake compared to the river which is heavily traveled by barges:

Popular posts from this blog

Will County Emergency Management Agency Coordinating Migrant Bus Arrivals in Will County Suburbs

Image
  After reports of buses from Texas dropping off asylum-seekers at Metro stations in Will County, the Will County Emergency Management Agency released the following press release : "The Will County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) is working to provide information and coordinate with municipalities and state agencies as the Chicagoland region is experiencing an increase in buses transporting asylum-seekers from the State of Texas. “Our municipalities have seen an increase in buses from Texas disembarking passengers at Metra stations and other locations throughout the county,” said Will County EMA Director Allison Anderson. “We are working to coordinate information between public safety agencies, the State of Illinois, and the City of Chicago. Our priority is ensuring humane transportation of asylum-seekers to the official Chicago landing zone.” An official landing zone for asylum-seekers is being operated by the City of Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communication at
Read more

Local VFW Post Joins Work to Keep Gemini Giant in Wilmington

Image
The Wilmington VFW Post is joining the local effort to keep the Gemini Giant in Wilmington.  The statue is up for online bid at the Grafe Auction website . Wilmington's VFW Post 5422 posted to their Facebook page on March 8, 2024 that: " The Wilmington VFW Post 5422 along with Save the Gemini Giant have teamed up to make an effort to keep the Gemini Giant in Wilmington and relocate it 1 mile west on Route 66 to the VFW.  We need your help. "   Read the full post here . The Gemini Giant has greeted Route 66 travelers to Wilmington for decades:
Read more