The Fluvial Egg Drift Simulator (FluEgg)

A tributary assessment tool.

 

To combat the threat of invasive Asian carp in the Great Lakes, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funded research on variety of potential control strategies. The University of Illinois, in collaboration with the US Geological Survey, has developed the Fluvial Drift Simulator (FluEgg) to help assess what Great Lakes tributaries might be vulnerable to Asian carp spawning and population growth.
The model incorporates information about Asian carp egg development and river flows to provide insights regarding the likelihood of a river to be suitable for spawning, the potential of a river to transport Asian carp eggs in suspension until hatching, and the identification of the location of Asian carp eggs at different developmental stages.
Now, managers can develop meaningful management control strategies to limit the impact of aquatic invasive species. Thus, managers and stakeholders can make informed decisions to keep the Asian carp population out of rivers and other bodies of water.