Great Lakes Regional Programs

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has a number of programs that are being used to support the protection, restoration, and development of water resources in the Great Lakes.  This site will introduce these programs and provide links to additional information and organizations that are partnering with the USACE in the implementation of these programs.

Great Lakes Fishery & Ecosystem Restoration (GLFER)

Under the GLFER program, the USACE plans, design, and constructs projects to restore and protect aquatic habitat.  To date, three GLFER projects have completed construction, five more are under construction, and a total of 41 projects are in planning or design.

GLFER projects include:

• the removal or bypassing of dams and other obstructions to restore fishery passage;
• construction of barriers and traps to control the invasive sea lamprey;
• actions to eliminate beneficial use impairments at Areas of Concern;
• restoration and enhancement of wetlands, marsh, lake and riverine habitat.

GLFER is not a grant program.  Projects are developed in cooperation with a non-federal partner who may be a state or local government, non-profit organization, or a private entity.  This partner shares the costs (35%) of the project and is responsible for operating and maintaining the completed project.  The Great Lakes Fishery Commission has helped the USACE plan and implement the GLFER program, and is a cost-sharing partner on several projects.

For a fact sheet on the GLFER program click here.  For fact sheets on individual projects, visit the Great Lakes Fishery Commission’s GLFER website.