Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID MO_2025_Sansom

Advancing bubble deterrent technology for carp passage control using laboratory scaling studies and CFD modeling in the Mississippi River

Institute: Missouri
USGS Grant Number:
Year Established: 2025 Start Date: 2026-08-01 End Date: 2029-07-31
Total Federal Funds: $346,875 Total Non-Federal Funds: $346,879

Principal Investigators: Brandon Sansom

Project Summary: The use of bubble screens has been suggested as a viable deterrent to upstream passage of invasive carp in the Upper Mississippi River (UMR), but the design and evaluation of bubble deterrent systems is lacking. In this project, we propose addressing high-priority needs related to reducing upstream passage of invasive carp through a combined laboratory and modeling effort. Laboratory experiments will examine a range of bubble deterrent configurations and quantify key scaling parameters needed to reliably transfer laboratory results to field-scale applications. The modeling efforts will be calibrated using experimental data and then tested at high-priority sites in the UMR to evaluate how bubble deterrents perform under realistic hydraulic and operational conditions and to generate site-specific design and operation guidance for managers. This research will address critical knowledge gaps regarding the scalability of bubble deterrent systems and provide managers will actionable strategies to reduce the risk of upstream carp passage.