(Milford)—Installation of an electronic fish barrier at the Lower Gar Outlet is nearly completed…with just a few finishing touches remaining. Final site restoration is all that remains to be done on the nearly $1 million project.
The barrier is designed to prevent any additional Asian carp from getting into the Iowa Great Lakes.
The project became a priority after two bighead carp were collected during a routine population survey in August of 2011. In March of last year, 88 big head and 55 silver carp were collected during seining operations at the narrows on East Lake Okoboji. Two silver carp were collected during that same time on Big Spirit Lake.
It’s believed those fish got into the Iowa Great Lakes during the flood of 2011 that allowed them to pass over two dams on the Little Sioux River and the outlet dam on Lower Gar Lake.
The 10-month project to build the barrier was made possible through a partnership of cities, the county, lake associations, the water safety council, private organizations and the Iowa and Minnesota Departments of Natural Resources.
