Cost of U.S. plan to keep Asian carp from Great Lakes nearly triples

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. -- A federal plan to prevent Asian carp from establishing themselves in the Great Lakes has gotten considerably more expensive.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers this week released its final strategy for placing technological roadblocks to the invasive fish at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Joliet, Illinois, a choke point between the carp-infested Illinois River and Lake Michigan.

The price tag is nearly $778 million, which is nearly three times the $275 million that the Corps estimated in a 2017 draft version.

Officials say further study during the past year showed that features such as a specially designed vessel channel, noisemakers and a water-flushing lock would cost more than originally believed.

After a public comment period, the Corps expects to send the plan to Congress in February.