The CAWS Aquatic Invasive Species Stakeholder Group (formerly known as the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS) Advisory Committee) initiated its current consensus-building effort in May 2014. Since that time the Committee has met 10 times and released a series of consensus letters to the President and U.S. Congress outlining their recommendations:
- CAWS Stakeholder GLRMIS Work Plan ONE WAY SOUTHBOUND Letter to USACE (October 2020) (PDF)
- CAWS Advisory Committee letter to President Obama with recommendations on long-term actions (January 2016) (PDF)
- CAWS Advisory Committee letter to President Obama with recommendations on the Brandon Road Feasibility Study (August 2015) (PDF)
- CAWS Advisory Committee letter to the Great Lakes Congressional Delegation with recommendations for short-term actions (August 2014) (PDF)
Technical ReportsPrepared by HDR
As part of the CAWS Advisory Committee process, committee members defined a series of questions and information needs. The below report summarizes the technical investigations conducted by HDR assessing the risk of invasive species transfer and impacts to navigation relative to certain control measures, as well as a high level summary of background information presented to the committee regarding flood risk and water quality, including CSOs and contaminated sediments.
- Summary of Technical Evaluations – November 2015 (PDF)
- Regional Cost Share and Institutional Mechanisms Case Study – April 2016 (PDF)
- Scope Outline of Potential CAWS & Lake Michigan Hydrologic, Hydraulic, and Water Quality Investigation – October 2016 (PDF)
Restoring the Natural Divide: Separating the Great Lakes And Mississippi River Basins in the Chicago Area Waterway System
In 2010, the Great Lakes Commission and the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative identified engineering options for Chicago’s waterway system that would prevent interbasin movement of AIS, including Asian carp. The study also examines potential improvements to the waterway’s roles in commercial navigation, recreational boating, flood and stormwater management, and water quality.