Dams and other man-made barriers like roads and bridges in the Great Lakes basin are generally detrimental to aquatic ecosystems. These barriers block seasonal and daily movements of fish and other aquatic organisms from reaching areas upon which they rely for various components of their life history.
Conversely, some barriers provide ecological benefits by assisting with the control of aquatic invasive species, protecting threatened and endangered species from predators and competitors, preventing contaminant spread, among others.
Coordinated through the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes LCC, the Aquatic Habitat Connectivity Work Group, working with others, will identify shared conservation goals and objectives for restoring connections in the Great Lakes waterways and invest in data and knowledge to fill gaps, tools that enable decisions, strategies that incentivize action and leadership towards attainment of those objectives.
