Project
Document Fish Movement Between Inland Chicago Area Waterways and Lake Michigan Through the Chicago Lock
This project aims to determine whether Common Carp can move from the Chicago River into Lake Michigan by passing through the Chicago Lock—a critical concern given the threat posed by invasive Bigheaded Carps should they reach the Great Lakes. The Chicago Lock is both a high-traffic navigation structure and an important flood-control point, making it a potential pathway for fish movement during regular and storm-driven operations. Initial acoustic telemetry work by Shedd Aquarium from 2023–2024 documented detections suggesting that fish passage through the lock may be possible, but existing receiver coverage and known detection blind spots prevent definitive confirmation.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nTo resolve this uncertainty, the project will expand the current 32-receiver acoustic array in the Chicago River by adding five receivers in the Chicago Harbor on the Lake Michigan side of the lock. These added receivers, supplied in-kind by GLATOS, will allow unambiguous detection of fish that successfully pass into Lake Michigan. In May 2025, researchers will capture and tag 46 Common Carp with V13T acoustic transmitters and release them at their capture locations. Detection data from Chicago River receivers will be retrieved every other month, and Chicago Harbor receivers will be downloaded in November 2025.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nBy comparing confirmed lock passage events with seasonal patterns, water temperature, and dissolved oxygen data, the project will identify conditions under which fish are most likely to move through the lock. Results will inform management decisions aimed at protecting the Great Lakes from invasive carp.