Anglers may sleep better at night soon

August 12, 1:55 PMMilwaukee Environmental News ExaminerMaureen Daly

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is responding quickly to last week's report that the nightmare Asian carp may have made a 10 mile advance northward and a dangerously close to reaching the Great Lakes. Voracious feeders that could easily decimate native fish populations, this huge fish is a hazard to boaters as they are known to leap out of the water when agitated by boat motors.

Today the Corps shut down the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal to boat traffic to test the effectiveness of doubling the voltage on the fish barrier installed to keep the carp out. Running at one volt per inch since it was turned on eariler this year, the corps wants to determine if 2 volts will be enough to stop juvenile fish which they believe can get through the barrier.  The barrier can run at 4 volts per inch. Full strength may pose a dangerous hazard to barge traffic.

Depending on test results the Corps may make a change as early as Friday.