USGS Underwater Acoustic Deterrent System Briefing Event

Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center and the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center Environmental Lab worked with state and federal partners to design, construct, and install an experimental underwater Acoustic Deterrent System (uADS) at Lock 19 (Keokuk, IA) located on the Upper Mississippi River during winter 2020-2021. Researchers are using this technology to study how Bighead, Silver, and Grass Carp respond to engineered acoustic signals, with the goal of limiting their upstream passage at pinch-point locks and dams, that is, high-head locks and dams where fish passage most likely occurs through the lock chamber. After preparing the 16-speaker array on land, the 106 foot long, 16,000 pound soundbar was lowered into the river and secured below the bottom of the lock approach channel in a discharge lateral. Federal and state partners teamed up in 2021 to internally tag over 350 invasive carp and 200 native fish with ultrasonic transmitters to monitor their movement in response to the uADS. The system has been operating on an 80-hr on-off cycle since March 2021. The experimental evaluation of the uADS will continue until December 2023. Understanding how sound affects the invasive carp and native fish species passage at Lock 19, where invasive carp are abundant, will help to further develop technology that limit invasive carp movement toward the Great Lakes and mitigate the threat of these invasive species on the environment.

The briefing event offered in-person and virtual participation for partners and stakeholders, and this post event video allows sharing of the project overview, question & answer panel discussion, and four detailed project station demonstrations.