Was The Most Dangerous Threat to the Great Lakes Found in a Michigan River?

Something that could destroy the Great Lakes may have been found in one of Michigan's rivers.

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Michigan and Illinois

States partner occasionally to try and solve or prevent problems that can affect both conditions but very rare for the two to be willing to spend $114 million to do so.

Michigan and Illinois both have been working on something together called the Alliance for the Great Lakes.

In June of this year, the two states agreed to try to keep invasive silver and bighead carp out of Lake Michigan, with Michigan spending $64 million on the project.

What is So Dangerous About the Silver Carp?

The threat silver carp pose to the Great Lakes is very serious because they can outcompete native species for food because they are voracious eaters that consume up to 40% of their weight per day.

Silver carp feed on plankton, a primary food for many native fish including walleye, yellow perch, and lake whitefish. Silver carp are stronger and highly aggressive at pushing competitors away from food and then wiping out the supply.

Silver carp are also known to jump out of the water when they are spooked and can land in boats and even injure boaters when they get hit by the fish.

Michigan and Illinois have been investing in fortifying the Brandon Road Lock and Dam on the Des Plaines River in order to block the silver carp from entering Lake Michigan. The partnership is using technology to create a fish gauntlet to keep these invasive fish out of Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes but has one silver carp slipped by?

Has a Silver Carp Been Found in a Michigan River?

According to FOX 17, the US Fish and Wildlife Service to routine DNA testing on Michigan rivers to determine if there is evidence of silver carp in any of the state waterways.

All fishermen should rejoice with a huge sigh of relief because out of 220 samples taken not one sample came back positive. Whew!