ILLINOIS – A rotenone rapid response, known as Operation Pelican, was completed on a 2.6-mile section of the Little Calumet River immediately downstream of the T. J. O’Brien Lock and Control Works during May 19-28, 2010. The treatment zone measured 173 surface acres and it included the river main stem from O’Brien Lock and Dam to the Beaubien Woods Forest Preserve boat launches, the mouth of the Grand Calumet River, and the Marine Services Corporation Marina. The primary purpose of the response was to determine the abundance of bighead and silver carp in this portion of the Chicago Area Waterway System that had previously produced multiple positive detections for Asian carp environmental DNA. The Fish Identification and Enumeration Branch processed all fish recovered during the operation. No bighead or silver carp were found.
Participating Organizations
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources, with support from the Monitoring and Rapid Response workgroup of the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee, implemented the Asian Carp Rapid Response Plan to take the necessary actions along the Little Calumet River. In addition, local organizations, federal and state agencies, non-governmental agencies, and industry stakeholders were on hand to assist Illinois Department of Natural Resources in order to ensure a successful operation.