A privately funded study to be released Tuesday outlines three ways the Chicago waterways could be closed off from the Great Lakes to keep invasive species, such as Asian carp, from moving between them.
The cheapest solution would cost taxpayers more than $3 billion and would take at least a decade to complete.
The study, which cost $2 million and was funded by several foundations, says separating the two watersheds would create jobs and could end up being cheaper than spending money every year to fight invasive species.
The engineering study proposes one to five new barriers near Chicago, rerouting cargo and pleasure boats, and building huge tunnels to handle floodwaters that could no longer go into Lake Michigan.
