Release of the US Army Corps of Engineers’ Great Lakes and Mississippi Interbasin Study

On January 6th the United States Army Corps of Engineers released their long-awaited Great Lakes and Mississippi Interbasin Study (GLMRIS). This congressionally mandated report assesses 8 alternative plans designed to restrict the transference of aquatic nuisance species (ANS) between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. The results of the study are meant to inform and guide decision makers as we begin the regional dialog on how to best plan for the long-term control of ANS.

Friends’ mission to improve and protect the Chicago River provides us with a unique perspective on the results of the GLMRIS study. As we familiarize ourselves with the eight solutions put forth in the GLMRIS report we will be measuring them for their effectiveness, whether they harm the river in any way, and if they include the kinds of planning and infrastructure investments that will ensure the Chicago River still has the opportunity to become one of the world’s greatest metropolitan rivers.

For more detailed information on what the results of the GLMRIS study could mean for the Chicago River, read the report summary.