 "This year's conference offers great opportunities to see what the
many different local, state and federal agencies and organizations
are doing to make the Illinois River a better resource for the
residents of Illinois," said Bob Frazee, conference co-chair and an
educator in natural resources management with the University of
Illinois Extension.One of those opportunities is learning about
the current carp problem.
"The Asian carp is not a native species," said Frazee. "Asian
carp were introduced to the United States in the early '70s to
control algae in catfish farms in the South. Floods washed them into
the Mississippi River in the 1980s, and they've migrated up the
Illinois River in the last 10 years."
The carp grow very fast, Frazee noted, and they can actually leap
as high as 4 feet out of the water.
"The situation is becoming hazardous," said Frazee, "because the
fish can weigh as much as 25 to 35 pounds. They've been known to
knock people unconscious, so they're really curtailing the use of
jets skis and water skiing on the river."
Even more distressing, said Frazee, is the number of carp in the
river. "These fish reproduce rapidly
-- females carry up to 2 million eggs -- and they can grow as big as
80 pounds. They eat about 40 percent of their body weight in
plankton and other microorganisms, which is the same food source for
many of our native fish."
If the carp continue to overrun the waterways, Frazee said,
native fish will starve to death, and that could cause major
economic and environmental damage, especially if they reach the
Great Lakes.
In addition to the carp controversy, the conference features the
Illinois River Watershed Conservation Tour on Oct. 2, from 8:15 a.m.
to 4 p.m. The tour will include visits to restored wetlands near
Bartonville and a significant wildlife habitat restoration site near
Mackinaw, among other stops.
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As part of a public forum, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, the featured speaker
at the evening banquet on Oct. 2, will discuss issues and concerns
related to the management of the Illinois River Watershed. Quinn is
chairman of the Illinois River Coordinating Council.
Concurrent sessions will run on Oct. 3 and 4, with topics ranging
from storm water management, restoration projects, private-public
partnerships and river monitoring to natural disasters -- including
flooding, drought and the Gulf Coast experience and its implications
for Illinois. Other panels will discuss nature-based tourism, the
prehistory and archeology of the river valley, flood plain
restoration, and dam removal and safety issues.
"At this conference, individuals can also see the latest
developments in geographic information systems and work with
different agencies to see how GIS and other computer-based
technologies can assist them with data collection," Frazee said.
Due to the lack of a signed state budget, the planning committee
for the conference has extended the early registration deadline to
Sept. 8. Cost for the conservation tour is $25 and must be paid by
Sept. 8. Full conference registration, paid by Sept. 8, costs $135
and includes three meals, two continental breakfasts and a
reception. Registration on or after Sept. 8 costs $175, and walk-in
registration will be $225.
Fees for Oct. 3 only are $90 before Sept. 8, $130 on or after
Sept. 8, and $160 for walk-ins. Fees for Oct. 4 only are $60, $100
and $120, respectively. Reservations may be made online at
http://www.conferences.uiuc.edu/ and credit cards are
accepted.
"The first Illinois River conference was held 20 years ago,"
Frazee noted, "and for each subsequent conference, we've tried to
identify new topics, invite new speakers and provide an update on
the significant improvements to our state's most important natural
resource. This year's conference looks to be very exciting and
challenging."
[Text from file received from
the University of Illinois
College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences] |
