Preventing the Movement of Aquatic Invasive Species Through the Chicago Area Waterway System: Technical and Political Challenges

Transcription

1 Preventing the Movement of Aquatic Invasive Species Through the Chicago Area Waterway System: Technical and Political Challenges Michigan Water Environment Association June 25, 2014 ~ Boyne Falls, Michigan Matt Doss, Policy Director, Great Lakes Commission

2 Great Lakes Commission Established by legislative action - 8 states in 1955 Great Lakes Basin Compact Received U.S. Congressional consent in 1968 Mission: Dedicated to the use, management and protection of the water, land and other natural resources of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence system 8 Great Lakes states, Ontario and Québec

3

4 RiverBills.com

5 M. Gaden

6 Impacts in Ohio River Basin Guide - Darrell Van Vactor Historically, vibrant striped bass and sauger/walleye fisheries in Tennessee, Cumberland, and Ohio rivers Tailwater sport fisheries have been decimated No striped bass or sauger/walleye were caught below Kentucky Dam over a 3 month period during 2011 Increased numbers of Asian carp in Kentucky and Barkley lakes are a safety problem for boaters Dramatic local impacts, both from an economic and recreational perspective

7 We got em. You don t want em! Bighead carp --MICRA USGS

8 BINATIONAL RISK ASSESSMENT CAWS most likely entry point Spread highly likely if entry occurs Establishment in all lakes highly likely Why are we concerned? As few as 10 adults of each sex can establish a population Consequences significant changes in planktonic communities reduction in planktivore biomass reduced recruitment of fishes with early pelagic life stages reduced stocks of piscivores

9 2014 Distances from Lake Michigan 37 miles Dispersal barriers 55 miles Adult Population Front 62 miles Presence of Adults/Potential Spawning Henry, IL 64 miles Verified Spawning activity (no larvae/yoy) 143 miles Established population: Closest observed small Asian carp (Henry, IL in Peoria Pool) Characterizing Risk Verified Spawning Adult Population Front Presence of Adults/ Potential Spawning Observed Spawning activity *Overall leading edge of Asian carp invasion has not changed since 2006 (Dresden Island Pool) USACE ILDNR USGS published Asian Carp Distribution in North America In April Current data on presence of bighead carp and silver carp at all life stages - Available on asiancarp.us

10 Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee

11 Response to the Threat Extensive monitoring and response Development of new control technologies An effective electric barrier system Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework Development of long term solution (GLMRIS)

12 ACRCC Control Actions Accomplishments Asian carp not established in Chicago or the Great Lakes All Great Lakes States, Ontario and Canada as partners Only CAWS a high risk pathway for Asian carp Redundant and effective electric barriers New nets, gear and sampling techniques for Asian carp Ongoing Actions Best GLMRIS control options identified in 2013 edna and fish sampling Great Lakes basin wide Testing new technologies like water guns and toxicants Harvest Asian carp below the electric barrier Refining edna technology and identifying vectors

13 Restoring the Natural Divide Study Develop alternatives to separate the Great Lakes and Mississippi River watersheds in the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS) that will: Prevent movement of all aquatic invasive species between the watersheds Improve water quality Improve flood protection Improve commercial transportation Photos: silver carp, Great Lakes Fishery Commission, Chicago River, Great Lakes Commission

14 About the CAWS Complex, multi-use waterway Navigation Cargo Commercial passenger and governmental (Fire, Police, etc) Recreational Water Supply & Conveyance Municipal wastewater Industrial users Flood Risk Management Stormwater Combined sewer overflow (CSO) Recreation Primary connection between basins 14

15

16

17

18 Mid-System Alternative Timeline Chicago Phase I Phase II Barrier Permit & Design Stormwater Water Quality Transportation Calumet Barrier Stormwater Water Quality Transportation

19 Project Benefits AIS costs avoided $150M to $500M annually; $400M to $9.5B long-term Transportation New cargo potential, better intermodal connections Water quality Expanded recreation and increased property values Reduced flooding damage Employment impact 2,900 to 7,500 jobs per year

20

21 Eight GLMRIS Alternatives Alternative 1: No New Federal Actions - Sustained Activities Alternative 2: Nonstructural Control Technologies Alternative 3: Mid-System Control Technologies without a Buffer Zone Alternative 4:Control Technology Alternative with a Buffer Zone Alternative 5: Lakefront Hydrologic Separation Alternative 6: Mid-System Hydrologic Separation Alternative 7: Mid-System Separation Cal-Sag Open Control Technology with a Buffer Zone Alternative 8: Mid-System Separation CCSC Open Control Technology with a Buffer Zone

22 ANS Control Technologies GLMRIS Lock ANS Treatment Plant Address modes of ANS movement Swimming Floating Hitchhiking Physical Barrier Electric Barrier with Engineered Channel Screened Flow Gates

23 GLMRIS Lock Objective: To prevent ANS from entering the CAWS from the Lower Des Plaines River via the Brandon Road Lock. Concept: To flush the lock chamber with ANSfree water between lockages to reduce risk of ANS transfer.

24 Electric Barrier with Engineered Channel Addresses swimming species Refined design may offer: Closure of voids and crevices Insulative properties Optimized channel dimensions and electrode configuration Research needed Stray current Lock gate interferences Continue current investigations to improve efficacy

25 Brandon Road Lock and Dam location Reduces transfer risk for Mississippi River basin aquatic nuisance species Would not address Lake Michigan species Opportunity for staged implementation GLMRIS Lock would address floating species Electric barrier would deter swimming species from entering lock chamber Alternative Plan 4 Technologies with Buffer Zone

26 Key Assumptions in GLMRIS No flows to Lake Michigan Alternatives designed to 500 year storm for purposes of capturing stormwater and CSO flows Chicago s TARP system expanded to route all drainage and WWTP flows to river side of barriers Highly treated water used to make up flow in CAWS Current challenges remediated as a cost of separation (flooding, CSOs and contaminated sediments)

27 Critique of GLMRIS Comprehensive evaluation of alternatives for preventing interbasin transfer of AIS Recognizes hydrological separation as most effective Recognizes that mid-system alternative has least impact on flooding Identifies useful technologies to explore (electric barrier in engineered channel, GLMRIS lock, etc.) Key assumptions increase costs and implementation time Some technologies not included (e.g., CO 2 ) Does not include mitigation for commercial navigation

28 Now what? GLC Policy and Advocacy Actions Policy resolution Continue Asian carp control strategy and implement additional control measures Implement control measures at Brandon Rd. lock and dam Design and test GLMRIS lock as demonstration project Develop long-term solutions with input from Advisory Committee Prevent fish movement caused by commercial shipping Study commercial transportation in the CAWS Discuss financing approaches for AIS control Increase the Administration s leadership

29 CAWS Advisory Committee Goal: Prevent Asian carp and other AIS from moving between the Mississippi River and Great Lakes basins through the CAWS Strategy: 1. Continue current actions 2. Initiate additional actions 3. Evaluate and implement lock treatment options 4. Evaluate and implement near-term control measures at Brandon Rd. lock and dam 5. Evaluate long-term solutions 6. Develop cost-sharing partnerships

30 Near-Term Measures at Brandon Rd. Lock & Dam Electric barrier in engineered channel Lock treatment Fish deterrents Modifications to dam Other measures?