USEPA - United States Environmental Protection Agency

A Rapid Response Plan for Great Lakes Aquatic Invasions will enhance mitigation prospects and slow the spread of such species. Currently, no protocol allows immediate implementation of appropriate eradication/control measures when a new invasive species is discovered. The absence of a protocol has been problematic in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence system, as evidenced by the ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernuus) and round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) that have advanced without intervention, and caused extensive infestations.

Project will develop guidelines and recommendations for a coordinated system to detect new invasions of nonindigenous aquatic species in the Lake Michigan Basin.

The goal of the project is to develop control strategies for a Phragmites infested urban wetland. Mechanical, chemical, and biological control methods will researched. Data and case studies will be collected. The investigation is intended to be applicable to the wetland restoration project within Presque Isle Bay in Pennsylvannia, but is expected to be relevant to other Phragmites infested wetlands in the Great Lakes basin. This award will provide a better understanding of methods to restore a wetland in an urban environment.

The objective of this project is to evaluate and improve an experimental electric barrier designed to block the transfer of unwanted, invasive fish between the Mississippi and the Great Lakes basins. The barrier is intended to deter the impending upstream movement of the bighead and silver carp from the Illinois River into the Great Lakes and deter the downstream movement of fish species such as the ruffe and goby into the Mississippi basin. The project will assess the degree of fish movement across the electric barrier.

The objective of this amendment is to conduct additional work to support the operation of the aquatic nuisance species dispersal barrier designed to block the transfer of unwanted, invasive fish between the Mississippi and the Great Lakes Basins. The barrier is intended to deter the impending upstream movement of the bighead and silver carp from the Illinois River into the Great Lakes and deter the downstream movement of fish species such as the ruffe and goby into the Mississippi basin.

This project will evaluate and improve experimental electric barriers to prevent dispersal of aquatic nuisance fished between two of the largest drainages basins in North America. The proposed work consists of the completion of the current assessment approach, set by the Barrier Advisory Panel, and a stringent assessment of the two barrier system. The assessment approach consists of continuous monitoring at the barrier with fixed hydrophones and radio and radio antennas to detect upstream movements of fishes in which combined acoustic/radio transmitters have been implanted.

This project has two general objectives: (1) to assess the water quality in Lake Waco and Lake Belton with regard to the relative contributions of fecal bacteria from bovine, human, and other animal contributions to the water bodies and; (2) to develop local libraries, genetic and biochemical, that can be used in determining the animal or human nonpoint fecal source contamination of surface water. (microbial source tracking); (MST); (bacterial source tracking); (BST)