Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee July 2010 Preventing Establishment of Asian Carp in the Great Lakes: The Wabash / Maumee River Connection

What is the issue? indicates that it could happen at built on the Des Plaines River to lower floods. Preliminary data shows prevent inter-basin transfer; and There is a potential pathway for that the Maumee River has gotten longer term efforts such as hydraulic invasive Asian carp to move into Lake high enough to flood Eagle Marsh at and biological data acquisition and Erie during flooding via a natural least four times between 2004 and the hydrologic simulations to develop connection of glacial origin between date of this publication (the gage was viable methods to restrict Asian the Wabash and Maumee River installed in 2003). carp movement during annual or basins. more frequent flooding-related interconnections in the basin. What is the flood route? How is this possible? As part of the Great Lakes and During a flood, the potential route Mississippi River Inter-basin Study Spawning populations of Asian for fish from the Wabash River (GLRMIS), the US Army Corps of Carp were found in late May 2010 in would be: up the Wabash River to the Engineers is forming a team of the the Wabash River near Lafayette, Little River; up the Little River to best experts within the USACE Indiana, and large adult Bighead Graham McCulloch Ditch; up Graham and the State and Federal resource Asian carp were pulled from the McCulloch Ditch to Eagle Marsh; agencies surrounding the Great Wabash River at the base of the across Eagle Marsh to Junk Ditch to Lakes. The team will conduct a Roush Dam about 20 miles south of the Maumee River. systematic exploratory survey and the Fort Wayne area in 2004. produce a concise characterization of the risks of Aquatic Invasive Species The Wabash River Are there any barriers currently in transfer at all potentially significant (Mississippi) drainage basin abuts place to stop the Asian carp? hydraulic connections between the the Maumee River (Great Lakes) basins. A reconnaissance level risk drainage basin in Northeastern There are no natural or man-made characterization report is scheduled Indiana at the location of the Eagle barriers to stop fish in that route, to be completed in September 2010, Marsh in Fort Wayne. except for an old and deteriorated and it will include the Little River- low head dam (approximately six feet Maumee River connection. A stream called “Graham high) on the Little River, which is McCulloch Ditch” from the Wabash drowned out during floods. Erosion at Basin and a stream called “Junk one abutment of the dam has created Ditch” from the Maumee Basin a potential fish ladder. are separated by less than one mile of flat land in Eagle Marsh, a wetland restored from farmland. What is being done to stop this When the Maumee River floods, from occurring? water backflows and may flood the Eagle Marsh with enough water to An interagency group met at Eagle theoretically allow the passage of Marsh on Friday July 9 to discuss carp from the Wabash Basin into the potential fish barriers at key Maumee Basin. location(s) on the Marsh. Meeting attendees discussed potential Ft. Wayne, IN: Stakeholders meeting It was thought this only solutions and agreed to pursue short to discuss one potential Asian carp happened during large and infrequent -term solutions such as putting in pathway from the Wabash to Maumee floods, but USGS streamgage data fencing similar to what is being River. Photo Credit: USGS

Stakeholders: • Allen County Soil & Water Conservation District • IN Dept. of Natural Resources • Little River Wetlands Project • Maumee River Basin Commission • U.S. Army Want more information? Corps of Engineers • U.S. Dept. of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service • U.S. Go to http://www.AsianCarp.org Environmental Protection Agency • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service • U.S. Geological Survey Want more information? Go to http://www.AsianCarp.org