Ninth Coast Guard District
ANS Dispersal Barrier - Romeoville, IL. Information Site
WATERWAY CLOSURE NOTICE
Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal scheduled to close to allow the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers to conduct electric fish barrier maintenance
Fish toxicant to be used by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to prevent Asian carp from moving past barrier toward Lake Michigan.
CHICAGO – Nov. 17, 2009 – In early December 2009, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will perform scheduled maintenance of the ANS Dispersal Barrier, also known as the electronic fish barrier (Barrier IIA), in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal (CSSC). The combination of barriers I and IIA are currently the only deterrent preventing the Asian carp from continuing their destructive advance up the waters of the CSSC into Lake Michigan and periodic maintenance is necessary to maintain reliable operations and to avoid a catastrophic failure.
The Illinois Dept. of Natural Resources (IDNR), in coordination with a multi-agency Asian Carp Rapid Response Workgroup, will use a fish toxicant, rotenone, to eradicate any carp in the canal before the barrier is taken down for maintenance. The Workgroup and its partners are committed to working rapidly and responsibly so the canal may be reopened as soon as possible. It is anticipated that the waterway will be closed to commercial and recreational traffic on or about Dec. 2, and reopen several days later.
“We understand the impact of this canal closure on commercial and recreational waterway users, but it is necessary to help protect lives, prevent long-term damage to the ecosystem, and facilitate the working group’s application of rotenone and its cleanup, ” said Rear Adm. Peter Neffenger, Commander of the Ninth U.S. Coast Guard District. “We will work closely with our partner agencies to reopen the waterway as soon as operations permit.”
The establishment of a safety zone and closure of the CSSC can be found by CLICKING HERE and will published in the federal register in the coming days.