Report proposes steps to keep Asian carp out of Great Lakes

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is recommending a mixture of technologies including loud noises and water jets at a crucial site in Illinois to prevent Asian carp from reaching the Great Lakes.

The corps released a draft report Monday analyzing options for upgrading the Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Joliet. The complex is on the Des Plaines River a few miles downstream from electric barriers intended to prevent fish in the Mississippi River watershed from reaching Lake Michigan through Chicago-area waterways.

Brandon Road is considered a bottleneck where new structures or technologies could strengthen defences against Asian carp. Scientists say if the carp reach the Great Lakes, they could devastate a $7 billion fishing industry by crowding out native species.

The report also suggests installing another electric barrier.

John Flesher, The Associated Press