U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Other Partners
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
The Chicago District is responsible for water resources development in the Chicago metropolitan area, upper Illinois River watershed, Lake Michigan watershed in Wisconsin and the upper Wabash River watershed In Indiana – an area of about 31,500 square miles.
The Chicago District delivers vital engineering services through flood and coastal storm risk management, navigation, aquatic ecosystem restoration, regulatory, emergency management, recreation and interagency support services.
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Managing, conserving and protecting Illinois' natural, recreational and cultural resources, furthering the public's understanding and appreciation of those resources, and promoting the education, science and public safety of Illinois' natural resources for present and future generations.
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state's natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. Michigan Department of Natural Resources strives to be a nationally recognized leader in protecting natural and cultural resources, ensuring sustainable recreation use and enjoyment, enabling strong natural resource-based economies, improving and building strong relationships and partnerships, and fostering effective business practices and good governance.
Recent News
2025 update on targeted mass removal of invasive carp from the Illinois River
Two separate but complementary invasive carp mass removal projects on the Illinois River – amounting to nearly 46 million pounds removed to date – are on track to meet or exceed the goals set in the 2025 Invasive Carp Regional Coordinating Committee Action Plan.
No invasive carp found during intensive monitoring in Chicago Area Waterway System
No bighead or silver carp were captured or observed in the Chicago Area Waterway System during the Spring Seasonal Intensive Monitoring effort involving two weeks of intensive sampling in late May 2025.
No bighead or silver carp captured during 2024 Seasonal Intensive Monitoring
No bighead or silver carp were captured or observed in the Chicago Area Waterway System during the Fall Seasonal Intensive Monitoring effort involving two weeks of intensive sampling in early October 2024.
Dead invasive silver carp removed from the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Invasive Carp Regional Coordinating Committee today announced the removal of a dead invasive silver carp from the Lockport Pool in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal.
Army Corps, Illinois, and Michigan sign agreement to move Brandon Road Interbasin Project forward and unlock Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for construction
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, and the states of Illinois and Michigan signed a project partnership agreement for the Brandon Road Interbasin Project, moving the project forward into construction phase.
More than $47 million for 45 projects announced for the ongoing battle against invasive carp in the Great Lakes basin
To support the ongoing battle to reduce the destructiveness of invasive carp and the threats they pose to the Great Lakes, the Invasive Carp Regional Coordinating Committee today announced the release of its annual Invasive Carp Action Plan for 2024.
IDNR concludes record-breaking invasive carp removal effort on Upper Illinois River
Illinois Department of Natural Resources fisheries biologists, with support from contracted commercial fishers and biologists from the Illinois River Biological Station, wrapped up a 10-day intensive harvest operation in the Starved Rock pool of the Illinois River, resulting in the removal of an astonishing 750,000 pounds of silver carp between Nov. 27 and Dec. 6.
No invasive carp found during intensive monitoring in Chicago Area Waterway System
No bighead, silver, or grass carp were captured or observed in the Chicago Area Waterway System after two weeks of rigorous sampling were conducted in October 2023 during the annual Fall Seasonal Intensive Monitoring event.
Interim reports released for two experimental invasive carp deterrent studies
Interim project updates for the BioAcoustic Fish Fence at Barkley Lock and Dam in Kentucky and the Underwater Acoustic Deterrent System at Lock No. 19 on the Mississippi River have been released as Open File Reports that provide information from the first two years of operation and evaluation for each study.