The states of Michigan and Illinois are partnering with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on a new project designed to protect the Great Lakes from invasive carp and aquatic nuisance species.
According to a press release issued by the Office of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, the $1.15 billion Brandon Road Interbasin Project will implement a complex series of invasive carp and aquatic nuisance species deterrents.
The project will receive $274 billion in federal and $114 million in state funding for the first of three phases of work, which will center around the Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Joliet, Illinois, which, according to the press release, is a critical pinch point to stop invasive fish from moving into the Great Lakes.
“Today’s agreement will help us get shovels in the ground as soon as possible on the critical Brandon Road project,” Whitmer said. “The Great Lakes are the beating heart of Michigan’s economy, and Brandon Road will help us protect local communities and key industries, including fishing and boating, that support tens of thousands of good-paying jobs. I am grateful to Governor [J.B] Pritzker in Illinois, the Army Corps of Engineers, and our champions in Congress for their long-term partnerships on this monumental task. Together, we will get the job done so we can protect our lakes and power economic growth for generations to come.”
Invasive carp species such as bighead, silver, and black carp threaten the Great Lakes’ native fish species, such as the lake whitefish, perch, and walleye. Additionally, silver carp are infamous for their ability to leap through the air, posing a health and safety risk to boaters and subsequently reducing the viability of recreational fishing in the areas where this species lives.
Several Great Lakes states and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have been working together since 2011 to protect these important bodies of water from invasive species. Below is a brief timeline of some of the highlights from this partnership:
- 2014: The Great Lakes Mississippi River Interbasin Separation Study identified several options for separating the two basins and led to the selection of the Brandon Road Lock and Dam site as the best location to prevent invasive species from entering the Great Lakes.
- 2020: A Planning, Engineering, and Design agreement was signed between Illinois and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Michigan supported Illinois as a nonfederal sponsor and contributed $8 million of the $10.1 million nonfederal funds required.
- 2023: Appropriations in Michigan ($64 million) and Illinois ($50 million) meet the nonfederal requirement to begin construction of the project.
U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell said the Brandon Road Interbasin Project “has been a long time coming and the result of close partnership between many stakeholders...”
“[It] will be pivotal in protecting our Great Lakes from harmful and destabilizing invasive species that threaten the environment, economy, and our way of life,” Dingell added. “I’m proud to have helped secure resources for this project and will continue to work every day to protect our most critical natural resources.”
Successful Concrete Projects Start with Precision Concrete Scanning
Whether you’re renovating – or even demolishing – a dam, or updating a parking structure, safely and successfully working with concrete starts with knowing what’s within that concrete.
GPRS offers a suite of infrastructure visualization services, including 99.8%+ accurate precision concrete scanning to help you avoid rebar, post tension cables, conduit, and any other objects that could be embedded within a slab.
We primarily utilize ground penetrating radar (GPR) scanning to reveal what’s hidden in your concrete. GPR scanners emit radio waves into concrete slabs and detect the interactions between these waves and any subsurface objects to create a readout of hyperbolas that vary in size and shape depending on the type of material detected. GPRS’ SIM-certified Project Managers interpret this data to tell you what was located and estimate its depth within the slab.
SIM stands for Subsurface Investigation Methodology, and it’s the industry-leading training program and process for not only concrete scanning, but also utility locating and sewer pipe inspections. It addresses a step-by-step approach to collecting subsurface data to ensure that the results are repeatable and accurate. SIM practitioners must follow a checklist designed to guarantee optimal results during every concrete scan and utility locate they complete.
Because of our adherence to SIM, GPRS Project Managers have achieved and maintained a 99.8%+ accuracy rate on the over 500,000 concrete scanning and utility locating projects we’ve completed since our founding in 2001.
GPRS’ in-house Mapping & Modeling Team can export the GPR concrete scans completed by our SIM-certified Project Managers to create accurate existing condition as-builts to give you the information you need in a format you can easily work with and share.
From skyscrapers to sewer lines, we Intelligently Visualize The Built World® to keep your projects on time, on budget, and safe.
What can we help you visualize?
Frequently Asked Questions
How is GPR used to identify tendons vs. rebar in a post-tensioned slab?
In post-tensioned structures, we typically find one mat of support rebar near the base of the slab. This mat is generally consistently spaced and remains at a constant elevation. Post tension cables are generally found above this support mat and “draped” throughout the rest of the structure. The elevation of the cable is usually high near the beams and column lines and drapes lower through the span between beams and column lines. Knowledge of these structural differences allows us to accurately differentiate between components. Our Project Managers will leave you feeling confident in our findings and in your ability to drill or cut without issue.
Can GPR determine the difference between rebar and electrical conduit?
Ground penetrating radar can accurately differentiate between rebar and electrical conduit in most cases. We have an extremely high success rate in identifying electrical lines in supported slabs or slabs-on-grade before saw cutting or core drilling.
Additionally, GPRS can use electromagnetic (EM) locators to determine the location of conduits in the concrete. If we can transmit a signal onto the metal conduit, we can locate it with pinpoint accuracy. We can also find the conduit passively if a live electrical current runs through it.
The combined use of GPR and EM locating allows us to provide one of the most comprehensive and accurate conduits locating services available.
