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New barriers aimed at stopping invasive Asian carp from gaining a foothold in the Great Lakes — and reservoirs dotting the Southland to control flooding that those measures would cause — are outlined in a report released Monday by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

 

The battle against the carp and other invasive organisms will be costly and take years to implement, according to the report, which was being sent to Congress and was mandated by legislation in the summer of 2012.

 

Physical barriers — including locks on waterways such as the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal — are among options the corps is presenting, along with new water treatment plants to filter out invasive species. Most of the alternatives being proposed have multibillion-dollar price tags.

 

Of the eight options outlined in the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study, the corps isn’t recommending any one alternative over another. One option includes maintaining the current methods being employed for controlling the carp, including electric barriers and commercial fishing operations.

 

Read the full story at the Southtown Star>>


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