Why the US Army electrifies this water

Summary by Krater

Tom Scott visits the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal to examine the electric fish barriers deployed to prevent invasive carp from reaching the Great Lakes.

From the video

Answers: How do electric fish barriers stop invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes?

• Invasive carp in North America
• Electric fish barriers
• Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal
• Waterway ecosystem management

What it concludes

• Invasive carp make up 95% of the fish biomass in parts of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers and have no natural predators.
• Electric fish barriers use pulsed DC electric current in the water to create a voltage gradient that stuns fish and prevents them from passing into the Great Lakes.
• Barges passing through the barriers can cause a voltage sag that allows smaller fish to slip through.
• Closing the canal connection between the Great Lakes and the carp-filled river system would cause major disruptions to shipping and freight traffic.
• The electric barriers require ongoing maintenance, and engineers are continually looking at ways to improve their efficacy against invasive carp.