Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Population-level modeling of bigheaded carps in the Red River

Active
By Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center February 14, 2025

Bighead carp and silver carp (collectively known as bigheaded carps) first escaped to the Mississippi River Basin in the 1970s and have since invaded the Red River. The species threaten the economies and ecosystems for the Red River. USGS scientists are developing population-level models to help guide and inform control strategies and evaluate ongoing management actions with collaborators from Auburn University.

Bigheaded carps population-level modeling projects

 

Resource managers seek to limit the effects of bigheaded carps in the Red River ecosystem. Population-level models can provide insight into different control strategies. For the Red River, these models are being used to compare different physical removal approaches (such as harvest locations and levels).

Bighead carp and silver carp (collectively known as bigheaded carps) first escaped to the Mississippi River Basin in the 1970s and have since invaded the Red River. The species threaten the economies and ecosystems for the Red River. USGS scientists are developing population-level models to help guide and inform control strategies and evaluate ongoing management actions with collaborators from Auburn University.

Bigheaded carps population-level modeling projects

 

Resource managers seek to limit the effects of bigheaded carps in the Red River ecosystem. Population-level models can provide insight into different control strategies. For the Red River, these models are being used to compare different physical removal approaches (such as harvest locations and levels).

Was this page helpful?