Brandon Road Interbasin Project

Location:

Brandon Road Lock and Dam, Joliet, Illinois, Des Plaines River

Description:

The Brandon Road Interbasin Project (BRIP) is a complex ecosystem restoration project with innovative technological deterrents. It is designed to prevent upstream movement of invasive carp and other aquatic nuisance species into the Great Lakes while minimizing impacts to the Illinois Waterway users. The BRIP will be largely implemented within the downstream approach channel to the Brandon Road Lock & Dam in Joliet, Illinois.

Background:

The Chief’s Report recommending a National Ecosystem Restoration (NER) Plan was signed on May 23, 2019. The Chief’s Report was then sent to Congress who subsequently authorized the project in Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) 2020. A three-year Preconstruction Engineering and Design effort was initiated in January 2021 under a $28.8M Design Agreement with the State of Illinois. The State of Illinois executed a funding agreement with the State of Michigan. The January 2022 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) endorsed a construction new start and appropriated $225.8M in construction funds for BRIP. An additional $47.88M of construction funds were appropriated in the FY2023 budget. In FY23, both Illinois and Michigan legislatures and Governors approved a total of $114M ($64M MI and $50M IL) to serve as the Non-Federal cost share for construction of this project.

The BRIP deterrents, combined with the electric dispersal barrier at Romeoville, Illinois, will provide multilayered protection within the Chicago Area Waterways System, improving the protection of the Great Lakes from aquatic nuisance species from the Illinois Waterway while maintaining waterborne transportation between basins. The BRIP deterrents will be arranged in three construction increments to strategically deliver levels of layered defense:

Increment I:

(A) Automated Barge Clearing (ABC) deterrent; Bubble Curtain Deterrent; Acoustic Deterrent (Leading Edge); Support Facilities (Leading Edge); Upstream Boat Ramp.

(B) Site Prep, Channel Rock Excavation

Increment II:

Flushing Lock (FL); Right Descending Bank Wall (RDB); Channel Rock Excavation

Increment III:

Electric Deterrent; Acoustic Deterrent (Engineered Channel); Support Facilities Building; Engineered Channel Floor and Walls; Downstream Boat Ramp

The BRIP deterrents will be monitored to ensure that they are performing as designed, and the Lower Des Plaines and Illinois Rivers will be managed to create a ‘population reduction zone’ where additional fish monitoring and harvest would occur to reduce the biological pressure on the BRIP deterrents. These management actions, referred to as non-structural measures, have an estimated annual investment of $14.73M and would be managed and primarily funded by the Department of Interior (USFWS & USGS) with the aid of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Non-structural measures include public education and outreach, monitoring, integrated pest management, piscicides, and manual or mechanical removal. These activities will be guided by research and adaptively managed over time.

Status:

An executed PPA (90:10 cost-share) with the State of Illinois and the State of Michigan as Non-Federal Cost Share Sponsors was executed on 1 July 2024. Brandon Road Interbasin Project (BRIP) now has a completed design for Construction Increments I-A and I-B and is actively moving through the contracting process to secure contractors to begin the long-awaited fabrication and construction phase of this project. A large design contract is also being developed to secure a contractor to fully design all the features included in Increment II.  The flushing lock design will not be part of that contract since it is already under development using inhouse labor.   

We were reminded of the sense of urgency associated with this project during the month of July 2024 as two tagged gravid female silver carp were picked up on sensors moving up to but not through the Brandon Road Lock. This is the third incidence in less than a year that tagged silver carp have been documented in the downstream approach channel to Brandon Road.  These “pioneer” fish represent an estimated 111 individuals/tagged fish “ping” that are probing for new breeding grounds. Last November a two-day commercial fishing exercise in Dresden pool (50 miles downriver from BRIP) harvested nearly 1 million pounds of silver carp.

Additional Information:

The BRIP project has a highly effective communication strategy, engaging a wide variety of audiences, seeking input, and sharing the latest progress. The communication tools and outlets utilized in the past two years include: quarterly newsletters, charrettes, website, information papers, media interviews, TV programs, social media, regional webinars, industry day, focus groups and site tours. Many of these communication presentations and documents are accessible on the BRIP website: https://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/BRIP/.

Completed Activities:

• Chief’s Report Milestone – 5/23/2019
• Signed Design Agreement – 12/29/2020
• BIL Construction New Start & Appropriations – 1/23/2022
• PPA Negotiations Initiated – 12/26/2022
• 100% Design Milestone on Increment I-A – 09/29/2023
• Sponsor Accelerated Funds ($5.15M) received from Jan 2023-June 2024
• PPA Execution – 07/01/2024
• Speaker Fabrication Contract Awarded – 8/30/2024
• 100% Design for consolidated Increments I-A and I-B – 9/30/2024
• Construction Contract Awarded for Increment IB – 11/27/2024
• Construction Start for Increment -IB – 1/06/2025
• Construction Completion for Increment I-B – 07/18/2025

Authority:
Feasibility: Sec 3061d, WRDA 2007 as amended with Section 1142 of WRDA 2018.
Construction: Section 401 WRDA 2020, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law 2022 and amended in Section 8337 of WRDA 2022.
 

Summarized Project Costs:

Major Work Item Prior Year:

FY 2025: Award and complete Construction of Increment I-B in FY25. Complete design and advertise Increment I-A construction contract for award in early FY26. Award design contract for Increment II design effort. Use in-house technical expertise to design flushing lock, engineered channel right descending bank walls, and electrical pulsar system. Non-Federal sponsor will be working to secure the right descending bank land rights. Implement real time fish detection and monitoring system in lock and approach channel. Begin developing fish mitigation and nonstructural plans and investment strategies.

Major Work Item Current Fiscal Year:

FY 2026: If funded, work will proceed with solicitation and award of the base portion of Increment II – Flushing Lock and Right Descending Bank Construction Contract.