Work is now complete on a nearly two-mile-long berm at Eagle Marsh to keep Asian carp from reaching the Great Lakes.
It cost about $4.4 million to build the berm, which averages 7.5 feet high.
The berm will block floodwaters and prevent carp from crossing from the Wabash River watershed into the Maumee River watershed, which eventually empties into Lake Erie.
Eagle Marsh is considered the second-most important spot for stopping invasive species from getting into the Great Lakes.
Known popularly as zombie fish, Asian carp have no North American predators and devour huge numbers of native fish. They have overwhelmed U.S.fisheries and rivers along with the Great Lakes. Worldwide, invasive species problems account for $1.4 trillion in damage to farming, environment, and society, according to Dihari Fernando, Invasive Species Centre executive director.
Canadian officials don’t want another invasive species considering the horrible experience with zebra mussels that block pipes and inconvenience people in the water and emerald ash borer. This proposed legislation would give officials more tools to fight those already existing invasive species.