Biologists boost defenses at Lawrence dam to stop spread of invasive carp

LAWRENCE (KSNT) - State wildlife officials are taking additional steps to fight back against the spread of invasive Asian carp in the Kansas River this year.

Silver and bighead carp have long been a problem for people trying to enjoy recreational fishing and boating activities on the Kansas River. Both species are known to swallow up resources from the river that sports fish and native species rely on while silver carp have a habit of leaping from the water whenever they feel spooked.

The only thing standing in the way of the carp advancing further upriver and causing widespread damage to the native ecosystem is the Bowersock Dam in Lawrence. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP), local entities and federal partners are all working together to make sure this never happens.

Chris Steffen, an aquatic invasive species coordinator with the KDWP, recently told state wildlife commissioners during an Oct. 3 meeting in Bonner Springs that new efforts are underway to curb the expansion of silver and bighead carp in the Kansas River. This consists of beefing up the defenses of the Bowersock Dam with the installation of "headbanger" bars to prevent silver carp from leaping over the dam during a rare flood event.

"Most years, 99 out of 100 years, hopefully this thing will catch any fish that try to get over it," Steffen told commissioners on Oct. 3.

Steffen later told 27 News the KDWP is working with the City of Lawrence to introduce this new physical deterrent to the dam in the hopes of adding another layer of protection for the Kansas River. The U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife (FWS) is helping fund this project with a grant.

Sarah Hill-Nelson with the Bowersock Mills and Power Company said her organization does its best to partner with the state and be a good steward for the river. She said silver carp are a big concern, especially as they can be seen leaping up towards the dam at different points in the year.

"It's a legitimate and serious problem," Hill-Nelson said. "It's most obvious in early June. They will jump up and beach themselves on our back deck at the north powerhouse."

Hill-Nelson said staff at the dam will shovel dead carp away so they can be eaten by local wildlife and not go completely to waste. Low water levels on the river from drought conditions have also helped out with the issue as a high-water flood event is required to give carp the opportunity make their way over the dam.

"We want to protect the fisheries, we want to protect the river," Hill-Nelson said. "These things can wreak havoc. I think it makes total sense to put preventative measures in there."

KDWP's goal of installing the headbanger bars is seen as a cost-effective measure that won't impede the work at the dam of generating hydroelectric power while also adding the benefit of stopping the carp's journey upriver.

"It's a common sense preventive measure that won't cost much in comparison to the economic and environmental damage they [silver carp] could wreak upstream if they do pass the facilities," Hill-Nelson said.

Staff with the KDWP have been using a variety of methods to remove Asian carp from the section of the river they currently infest, including taking to the water in boats to catch the invasive fish. Carp numbers have steadily risen over the years, with KDWP biologists removing 72,000 pounds of them since 2022.

"For quite a while, honestly, these things [invasive carp] were kinda there and present but they weren't like in particularly large numbers," Steffen told commissioners on Oct. 3. "And then about 2010, 2011 some high water events within the Missouri River system were really good for reproduction of these fish. And so, in those years you could actually, right out here over the I-435 bridge, you could go over that bridge and look down in the river below the Water One Weir and there were acres of these four-inch carp. I mean, several acres of just black mass of these little young of the year fish. So, 2010 and 2011 were really the start of these things being really, really abundant in the Kansas River."

Steffen said a date for the installation of the headbanger hasn't been set yet, though he hopes it can be "installed as quickly as possible." While the dam currently prevents the majority of carp from getting further upriver, the headbanger system will give biologists increased peace of mind and keep the rest of the river and other lakes clear of the invasive fish.

"We just want people to know that KDWP is working hard to minimize the distribution and impacts of invasive carp and we appreciate the public doing their part by not moving these fish to new locations," Steffen said.

You can learn more about the dangers and issues posed by silver carp by clicking here. For more information about the waters they currently infest in Kansas, click here.

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