PROVO, Utah — Scattered around Utah Lake are some unique traps.
Workers with the Division of Wildlife Resources jump in the water and start pushing nets toward a boat. The water starts churning rapidly as hundreds of carp are pulled onto the boat.
"It’s hard work, but it’s really rewarding," one worker told FOX 13 News. "We’ve been getting anywhere from 100 to 500 carp per net."
This is part of a pilot project to help remove more carp from Utah Lake and restore the June sucker and its habitat.
"Think of them [carp] as the feral pigs of the water world. They don’t let the vegetation get re-established in Utah Lake," said Russ Franklin, who oversees the June sucker recovery program for the Central Utah Water Conservancy District.
That doesn't let the June sucker get established, since they can't hide from other predators.
"The June sucker is native to Utah Lake. It’s only found in Utah Lake," Franklin told FOX 13 News. "This species is an indicator species for Utah Lake, but also because it’s federally protected and we do a lot of things with federal water and federal facilities, we are obligated by law to help recover this species."
Utah Lake's carp problem (the fish was introduced in the lake and other bodies of water across the United States in the 1800s) also has implications for the Central Utah Water Conservancy District's ability to provide drinking water to millions of people along the Wasatch Front.
"By law, under the Endangered Species Act, we are required to try and recover this species. By complying with that, we’re able to secure this water to divert it and use it for drinking water in Salt Lake and Utah counties," Franklin said.
On Tuesday, FOX 13 News accompanied political leaders and water district officials as they looked at the traps. Sen. Heidi Balderree, R-Saratoga Springs, boldly picked up a carp and posed a picture with it.
"It was amazing," the senator laughed. "I can’t believe how heavy it was."
The carp that are harvested will become fertilizer for farms. DWR workers quickly pull catfish and other fish species from the nets, weigh and measure them and release them back into the lake. Since efforts began in 2008, Franklin said they have removed roughly 30 million pounds of carp from Utah Lake using various methods. At one point, officials believed they had removed as much as 75% of the carp in the lake but the population has rebounded again, so the battle continues.
"When we started out, we had over 80 million carp in Utah Lake," he said.
Lt. Governor Deidre Henderson was among those who looked at the carp removal efforts. She served on a commission that oversaw Utah Lake restoration efforts.
"This is a long time effort, so it’s really cool to see this pilot program of how they’re getting the carp out of the lake," she told FOX 13 News.
The Lt. Governor said the impact of the work will also help the Great Salt Lake, which has faced ecological crisis. Utah Lake feeds into the Great Salt Lake through the Jordan River.
"When one lake is unhealthy it affects the health of other lakes. So it’s important we pay attention and do what we can to restore Utah Lake," she said. "It’s part of making sure the Great Salt Lake stays healthy."
This article is published through the Great Salt Lake Collaborative, a solutions journalism initiative that partners news, education and media organizations to help inform people about the plight of the Great Salt Lake—and what can be done to make a difference before it is too late. Read all of our stories at greatsaltlakenews.org.
