In what has become the biggest story and threat to Michigan fishing, the Asian carp invasion has caused the state of Michigan to take legal measures against Illinois. The case will be taken to the Supreme Court to potentially re-reverse the flow of the river to prevent the Asian carp from invading the Great Lakes. The case will also address Chicago’s controversial withdrawal of up to 2 billion gallons of water a day from Lake Michigan. The court’s decision could dictate the entire future of fishing in Michigan as well as the vitality of the all important Great Lakes.
When the flow of the river was initially changed to dump Illinois sewage into the Mississippi river instead of the great lakes, it was seen as engineering genius. Now it may be time to reverse the flow once again in order to keep Asian carp out of the great lakes where they could ruin Michigan fishing as well as the entire lake’s ecosystem. Environmental groups have long proposed a separation between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River basin to quell the spread of invasive species such as the Asian carp. It is also estimated the Chicago diversion has lowered lakes Michigan and Huron by three inches.
The Chicago River was reversed by connecting it through a system of canals to rivers whose waters flow into the Mississippi. Varying degrees of ecological separation could be achieved by closing the canals: using sluice gates to allow lake water to flow but blocking fish or boats; or using measures such as bubble or sound “curtains,” chemicals or electricity to limit the movement of fish and smaller organisms.
Since 2002, engineers have been building electric barriers in order to keep the Asian carp out of the Great Lakes, but recent studies have found carp beyond the barriers, suggesting that they may not be enough to stop the relentless species. If introduced into the Great Lakes, scientists claim that the Asian carp will eat the plankton that makes up the base of the food chain. Michigan fishing and lake tourism could suffer greatly from the foreign invaders. The supreme court case would reopen a 1922 case filed by the Great Lakes states challenging Illinois’ right to divert water. The result of the case may be a federal mandate to close the barges and waterways connecting the Mississippi river basin with the Great Lakes. State officials are worried about the future of Michigan fishing and the jobs connected to the lakes.
Asian carp aren’t the only invasive species of fish that threaten fishing in Michigan either. Zebra muscles have been depleting Great Lakes plankton and clogging water intake structures, while round gobies compete destructively with native species. Electric barriers were initially installed to stop the spread of the gobies, but was implemented too late. Experts state that 1% of the Great Lakes water is replenished each year, and that too much diversion could eventually drain the lakes.
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