Biologists pull 109,000 pounds of invasive fish species out of the Kansas RiverBiologists from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP...

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Biologists pull 109,000 pounds of invasive fish species out of the Kansas River

Biologists from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) have removed a staggering 109,000 pounds of invasive carp from the Kansas River since 2022, KSNT reports.
There are four species of invasive carp in North America: Silver, black, grass, and bighead. Three of them — silver, black, and bighead, reside in the Kansas River. People may be more familiar with the silver variety which is known to leap out of the water.
In 2022, the first year of the initiative, officials removed 25,339 pounds of the destructive fish from the river. The 109,000 milestone was reached at the end of 2025.
TOPEKA (KSNT) – Kansas wildlife workers are keeping up the pressure on an invasive species that has invaded one of the state’s most important rivers.

Why are Invasive carp a problem?
They directly compete with other fish for food resources.
These carp grow quickly and feed voraciously-can consume 40% of their bodyweight each day.
Biologists with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks are continuing to campaign against the presence of invasive carp in the Kansas River. The KDWP has, for the past four years, removed tens of thousands of pounds of these pesky intruders from the river in an effort to slow the spread of the invasive fish.
Liam Odell, a KDWP invasive carp biologist, said that biologists have successfully removed around 109,000 pounds of invasive carp from the Kansas River since removal efforts got started in 2022. KDWP staff are capping off 2025 as their most successful year yet with just over 36,000 pounds taken out of the water.
Odell said the KDWP used to focus on 37 miles of the Kansas River from the WaterOne Weir in Edwardsville to the Bowersock Dam in Lawrence. Invasive carp are currently held in check in the lower Kansas River due to Lawrence’s dam, preventing them from spreading further up the river system.
He said his team’s efforts are creating “positive change” for local aquatic species in the Kansas River, noting that some native species are returning to the waterway. “These removal efforts appear to have produced positive effects in Kansas waterways and for native species.

Reference:
[1] Cheryl Santa Maria, The Weather Network, Jan. 28, 2026.
[2] Matthew Self, Yahoo News, December 18, 2025.
[3] KDWP, https://ksoutdoors.gov/Fishing/Aquatic-Invasive-Species/Aquatic-Invasive-Species-List/Invasive-Carp.

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