UW study says man-made reservoirs help spread invasive species

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A new University of Wisconsin-Madison study says man-made reservoirs are causing invasive species to spread in Wisconsin lakes.

Researchers looked at the effects of reservoirs created by dam-controlled rivers. Those places are 300 times more likely than lakes to harbor invasive species.

Professor Jake Vander Zanden says that in some cases the reservoirs are hubs where invasive species reach natural lakes which don’t get otherwise get invaded.

He says the study indicates that people should think twice about the implications of building new dams.

Dozens of foreign species have posed a threat to Wisconsin’s native fish by gobbling up their food.

Vander Zanden says the sea lamprey is responsible for the decline of fisheries in the Great Lakes and conservation officials spend millions trying to control them.

Tags: outdoor, invasive, species, reservoirs