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DNR Plans to Poison Chicago Canal
Produced by City Room on Friday, November 13, 2009

Invasive Asian Carp (Photo Courtesy The Shedd Aquarium/Brenna Hernandez)

Officials from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources say they plan to poison more than five miles of a canal near Southwest suburban Romeoville next month.

It's part of an ongoing battle against the invasive Asian carp that have overtaken many Illinois waterways.

John Rogner is with the state department.

ROGNER: We believe that we can't take the chance that Asian carp move through the canal toward Lake Michigan while the barrier is undergoing maintenance.

The new, more powerful barrier was turned on for the first time in April.

A second, weaker barrier remains in place, but officials say they don't want to risk one of the giant carp getting past it.

If the fish get into Lake Michigan, ecologists from Chicago's Shedd Aquarium say the carp could devastate the Great Lakes ecosystem.

Video: Watch silver carp jump