Photo By James Finn | Jason Smith (left), Project Manager for the Brandon Road Interbasin Project, discusses...... read more read more
Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, Mr. Lee Forsgren, recently visited Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Joliet, Illinois, to gain firsthand insight into construction progress of the Brandon Road Interbasin Project (BRIP). The visit, conducted alongside senior leadership from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, as well as representatives from Illinois and Michigan, underscores the critical importance of the project to the health of the Great Lakes ecosystem.
The Great Lakes hold 20% of the world’s freshwater, making them an essential natural resource. BRIP is a key component in safeguarding this vital ecosystem by preventing the spread of invasive carp and other aquatic nuisance species that could disrupt the delicate balance of the lakes’ food chain and threaten native populations.
“Senior leader visits such as this are tremendously important to the District’s execution of the Brandon Road Interbasin Project because it assures those leaders are getting accurate information and seeing the important and unique features of the project for themselves,” said Jason Smith, BRIP Project Manager.
BRIP employs a multi-layered approach to deter invasive species, building upon the success of an existing electric barrier system already in operation at a USACE facility in Romeoville, Illinois. The project combines physical barriers with preventative strategies implemented at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam on the Illinois Waterway.
Forsgren’s visit aimed to provide him with a strategic understanding of the project’s schedule, construction progress, site conditions, and challenges. This understanding will be crucial in informing briefings to the President of the United States, the Secretary of the Army and other key decision-makers.
“Having an informed senior leader coalition provides greater surety that funding and political support will be provided when needed in order to design, construct, and begin operating the invasive species deterrent system as quickly as possible,” Smith said. “This provides greater likelihood that the Great Lakes fishery will remain healthy for future generations to come.”
| Date Taken: | 09.18.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.18.2025 13:13 |
| Story ID: | 548566 |
| Location: | JOLIET, ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 9 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Guarding the Great Lakes: ASA(CW) Visits Brandon Road Interbasin Project, by James Finn, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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