Hydroacoustic Assessment of Lock Mediated Fish Passage in the Illinois Waterway

Resource agencies and stakeholders are greatly concerned about the upstream dispersal of Asian carps within the Illinois Waterway and the potential effects on native ecosystems in the event of their introduction into the Great Lakes. The Brandon Road Lock and Dam may presently act, or provide the opportunity to be modified, to serve as a barrier to upstream fish movement within the Illinois Waterway. Since the dam is impassable, movement of fish through the lock chamber represents the only opportunity for between reach movements. Here, we quantify lock mediated fish passage rates through the Brandon Road Lock.  A stationary split beam hydroacoustic deployment above the lock chamber, mobile hydroacoustic surveys within the lock chamber, and traditional fish sampling techniques were utilized to assess lock mediated fish passage rates. Specific study objectives were to:  1) quantify upstream fish passage via the Brandon Road Lock; 2) assess fish behavior within the Brandon Road Lock during lockage operations; and 3) determine if interactions between fish and commercial barge traffic, upon entry or exit from the Brandon Road Lock, are a factor in fish passage dynamics.