Sites across the Great Lakes Basin are assessed to identify and prioritize the most likely points of introduction for new AIS.
- The size of the Great Lakes Basin presents a challenge for implementing comprehensive early detection for aquatic invasive species.
- Sites across the Great Lakes Basin are assessed to determine if they are a likely location for AIS introductions based on several risk factors.
- A regional framework for Great Lakes early detection provides a tool to identify priority sites for AIS early detection efforts across the Basin.
The Great Lakes present unique challenges to early detection efforts, with a surface water area of 95,000 square miles (245,759 square km) and shoreline length of 10,210 miles (17,017 km). To best target early detection efforts across such a large area, sites with the highest risk of new introductions, including movement of species established elsewhere in the Great Lakes Basin, are identified and prioritized.
A systematic method for identifying, evaluating and prioritizing early detection sites was developed as part of the Aquatic Invasive Species Interstate Surveillance Framework for the U.S. Waters of the Great Lakes (the Framework). The method is based on the likelihood that a watch list species could be introduced by any of the key pathways of spread (e.g., shipping, recreational boating, and organisms in trade). To evaluate and prioritize individual locations, the U.S. waters of the Great Lakes and their tributaries were divided into 5,953 standardized units (or “sites”). Analysis of key risk factors found that about 1,800 sites have invasion risk scores greater than zero. The method categorizes high-risk, priority sites for different groups of species: fish, invertebrates, and plants. A comparable site-prioritization system is under construction for Canada.
(For more information see Site Prioritization Methods.)
Fish
| Site Name | Fish Invasion Risk | Risk Rank | Lat | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago/Chicago River Mouth | 123.5 | 1 | 41.88857558 | -87.56591319 |
| Toledo/Maumee River Mouth | 100.3 | 2 | 41.7111913 | -83.42145804 |
| Oswego/Oswego River Mouth | 66.5 | 3 | 43.46842096 | -76.51886751 |
| Portage/Portage-Burns Waterway | 58.4 | 4 | 41.61907151 | -87.1613257 |
| Buffalo/Niagara River | 56.6 | 5 | 42.89178317 | -78.82860913 |
| Saginaw Bay/Saginaw River Mouth | 55.9 | 6 | 43.62085142 | -83.85862071 |
| Benton Harbor/Saint Joseph River Mouth | 52.9 | 7 | 42.13288897 | -86.43524777 |
| Calumet River Mouth/Lake Michigan | 50.3 | 8 | 41.72117219 | -87.47669179 |
| Cleveland/Cuyahoga River Mouth | 47.6 | 9 | 41.5298068 | -81.69785801 |
| East Chicago/Indiana Harbor Canal | 45.4 | 10 | 41.64106776 | -87.48644047 |
| Evanston/North Shore Channel Mouth | 44.8 | 11 | 42.05594873 | -87.65556237 |
| Rochester/Genesee River Mouth | 43.2 | 12 | 43.21692886 | -77.6132729 |
| Grand Haven/Grand River Mouth | 42.9 | 13 | 43.08592214 | -86.19069645 |
| West Harbor/Marblehead/Lake Erie | 42.3 | 14 | 41.56623232 | -82.78915278 |
| Green Bay/Fox River Mouth | 41.5 | 15 | 44.50678513 | -88.0352223 |
| Sandusky/Sandusky Bay | 38.9 | 16 | 41.47541807 | -82.69666089 |
| Lakeside/ Lake St. Clair | 37.9 | 17 | 42.54476042 | -82.82420648 |
| Grosse Pointe Shores/Lake St. Clair | 34.3 | 18 | 42.46502467 | -82.83942696 |
| Detroit River/Rouge River Mouth | 33.6 | 19 | 42.24781757 | -83.10237223 |
| Milwaukee/Kinnickinnic River Mouth | 32.4 | 20 | 43.03939105 | -87.87057235 |
| Lake St. Clair/Clinton River Mouth | 31 | 21 | 42.62450312 | -82.80895097 |
| Fairport Harbor/Grand River Mouth | 29.2 | 22 | 41.73163769 | -81.32558678 |
| Duluth/St. Louis River Mouth | 27.5 | 23 | 46.79650751 | -92.11037672 |
| Lorain/Black River Mouth | 24.9 | 24 | 41.49775316 | -82.14371427 |
| Toussaint River Mouth | 20.5 | 25 | 41.59925601 | -83.11233643 |
| Erie/Presque Isle Bay | 20.3 | 26 | 42.15878721 | -80.12405155 |
| Saugatuck/Kalamazoo River Mouth | 20.2 | 27 | 42.68529622 | -86.24761578 |
| Racine/Root River Mouth | 17.8 | 28 | 42.7114665 | -87.79822361 |
| Rocky River/Rocky River Mouth | 17.2 | 29 | 41.46230021 | -81.82147337 |
| Ashtabula/Ashtabula River Mouth | 17.2 | 30 | 41.91969845 | -80.84326425 |
| Port Clinton/Lake Erie | 16.4 | 31 | 41.49767732 | -82.91177596 |
| Holland/Lake Macatawa Mouth | 16.1 | 32 | 42.76540429 | -86.23628464 |
| North Tonawanda/Erie Canal | 15.5 | 33 | 43.06474459 | -78.89796472 |
| Port Huron/Saint Clair River | 15.2 | 34 | 42.98927758 | -82.40247056 |
| Irondequoit/Genesee River Mouth | 15.2 | 35 | 43.29602151 | -77.59184108 |
| Monroe/River Raisin Mouth | 15.2 | 36 | 41.87065468 | -83.39263539 |
| Marquette/Dead River Mouth | 14.9 | 37 | 46.58355229 | -87.43055847 |
| Detroit/ Detroit River | 14.6 | 38 | 42.32756096 | -83.08750052 |
| Lincoln Park | 14.4 | 39 | 41.97580089 | -87.66515271 |
| Chicago-Calumet Port | 14.1 | 40 | 41.80844983 | -87.57558315 |
| Vermilion/Vermilion River Mouth | 14.1 | 41 | 41.44135457 | -82.37424606 |
| Illinois Beach State Park North | 13.8 | 42 | 42.47081142 | -87.82670558 |
| Eastlake/Chagrin River Mouth | 12.6 | 43 | 41.6644758 | -81.44991498 |
| Lackawanna/Union Canal | 12.5 | 44 | 42.81254574 | -78.84850034 |
| Estral Beach | 12.5 | 45 | 42.01942791 | -83.25521577 |
| Black River Mouth/South Haven | 11.8 | 46 | 42.36494372 | -86.2926795 |
| Alpena/Thunder Bay River Mouth | 11.6 | 47 | 45.0519179 | -83.482838 |
| Detroit River Mouth/Gibraltar | 11.2 | 48 | 42.0991662 | -83.24056731 |
| Detroit River/Belle Isle | 11 | 49 | 42.31661272 | -82.97861474 |
| Niagara River Mouth/Fort Erie | 10.9 | 50 | 42.9062136 | -78.93764195 |
Invertebrates
| Site Name | Invertebrates Invasion Risk | Risk Rank | Lat | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duluth/St. Louis River Mouth | 72.3 | 1 | 46.79650751 | -92.11037672 |
| Toledo/Maumee River Mouth | 54.3 | 2 | 41.7111913 | -83.42145804 |
| Chicago/Chicago River Mouth | 52.6 | 3 | 41.88857558 | -87.56591319 |
| Cleveland/Cuyahoga River Mouth | 48.9 | 4 | 41.5298068 | -81.69785801 |
| Portage/Portage-Burns Waterway | 42.3 | 5 | 41.61907151 | -87.1613257 |
| Sandusky/Sandusky Bay | 37.8 | 6 | 41.47541807 | -82.69666089 |
| Marquette/Dead River Mouth | 36.8 | 7 | 46.58355229 | -87.43055847 |
| Detroit/ Detroit River | 35.6 | 8 | 42.32756096 | -83.08750052 |
| Oswego/Oswego River Mouth | 33.7 | 9 | 43.46842096 | -76.51886751 |
| West Harbor/Marblehead/Lake Erie | 33.5 | 10 | 41.56623232 | -82.78915278 |
| Buffalo/Niagara River | 33.1 | 11 | 42.89178317 | -78.82860913 |
| Calumet River Mouth/Lake Michigan | 30 | 12 | 41.72117219 | -87.47669179 |
| Chicago-Calumet Port | 29.5 | 13 | 41.80844983 | -87.57558315 |
| Milwaukee/Kinnickinnic River Mouth | 28.3 | 14 | 43.03939105 | -87.87057235 |
| Saginaw Bay/Saginaw River Mouth | 27.6 | 15 | 43.62085142 | -83.85862071 |
| Grosse Pointe Shores/Lake St. Clair | 27.2 | 16 | 42.46502467 | -82.83942696 |
| East Chicago/Indiana Harbor Canal | 25.9 | 17 | 41.64106776 | -87.48644047 |
| Evanston/North Shore Channel Mouth | 25.6 | 18 | 42.05594873 | -87.65556237 |
| Alpena/Thunder Bay River Mouth | 24.8 | 19 | 45.0519179 | -83.482838 |
| Rochester/Genesee River Mouth | 24 | 20 | 43.21692886 | -77.6132729 |
| Lake St. Clair/Clinton River Mouth | 23.5 | 21 | 42.62450312 | -82.80895097 |
| Rogers City/Calcite | 22.5 | 22 | 45.40439575 | -83.76440448 |
| Ashtabula/Ashtabula River Mouth | 22.3 | 23 | 41.91969845 | -80.84326425 |
| Two Harbors | 21.6 | 24 | 47.02606248 | -91.62495926 |
| Green Bay/Fox River Mouth | 20.7 | 25 | 44.50678513 | -88.0352223 |
| Buffington and Indiana Harbor Ports | 18.8 | 26 | 41.63382696 | -87.3780463 |
| Marblehead | 17.7 | 27 | 41.55504414 | -82.68149283 |
| Erie/Presque Isle Bay | 17.5 | 28 | 42.15878721 | -80.12405155 |
| Port Inland | 17 | 29 | 45.98740757 | -85.87580671 |
| Lorain/Black River Mouth | 16.7 | 30 | 41.49775316 | -82.14371427 |
| Benton Harbor/Saint Joseph River Mouth | 16.4 | 31 | 42.13288897 | -86.43524777 |
| Detroit River/Rouge River Mouth | 16.3 | 32 | 42.24781757 | -83.10237223 |
| Fairport Harbor/Grand River Mouth | 15.7 | 33 | 41.73163769 | -81.32558678 |
| Conneaut/Conneaut Creek Mouth | 14.9 | 34 | 41.96034721 | -80.50204547 |
| Lakeside/ Lake St. Clair | 14.5 | 35 | 42.54476042 | -82.82420648 |
| Gary | 14.3 | 36 | 41.62649486 | -87.26967461 |
| Toussaint River Mouth | 14.2 | 37 | 41.59925601 | -83.11233643 |
| Silver Bay Harbor | 13.5 | 38 | 47.25817809 | -91.25424386 |
| Stoneport | 13.2 | 39 | 45.29254316 | -83.43760894 |
| Grand River Mouth/Grand Haven | 11 | 40 | 43.09417787 | -86.30124456 |
| Charlevoix | 10.9 | 41 | 45.29005797 | -85.2886114 |
| Cedarville | 10.6 | 42 | 46.02802606 | -84.35073233 |
| Racine/Root River Mouth | 10.5 | 43 | 42.7114665 | -87.79822361 |
| Illinois Beach State Park North | 10.3 | 44 | 42.47081142 | -87.82670558 |
| Port Clinton/Lake Erie | 9.9 | 45 | 41.49767732 | -82.91177596 |
| Monroe/River Raisin Mouth | 9.7 | 46 | 41.87065468 | -83.39263539 |
| Waukegan | 9.7 | 47 | 42.39060926 | -87.83615578 |
| Holland/Lake Macatawa Mouth | 9.6 | 48 | 42.76540429 | -86.23628464 |
| Port Huron/Saint Clair River | 9.4 | 49 | 42.98927758 | -82.40247056 |
| Lackawanna/Union Canal | 9.1 | 50 | 42.81254574 | -78.84850034 |
Plants
| Site Name | Plant Invasion Risk | Risk Rank | Lat | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago/Chicago River Mouth | 137.7 | 1 | 41.88857558 | -87.56591319 |
| Toledo/Maumee River Mouth | 114.5 | 2 | 41.7111913 | -83.42145804 |
| West Harbor/Marblehead/Lake Erie | 75.3 | 3 | 41.56623232 | -82.78915278 |
| Saginaw Bay/Saginaw River Mouth | 72 | 4 | 43.62085142 | -83.85862071 |
| Benton Harbor/Saint Joseph River Mouth | 68.9 | 5 | 42.13288897 | -86.43524777 |
| Sandusky/Sandusky Bay | 64.9 | 6 | 41.47541807 | -82.69666089 |
| Grosse Pointe Shores/Lake St. Clair | 61.1 | 7 | 42.46502467 | -82.83942696 |
| Oswego/Oswego River Mouth | 59.8 | 8 | 43.46842096 | -76.51886751 |
| Cleveland/Cuyahoga River Mouth | 54.6 | 9 | 41.5298068 | -81.69785801 |
| Lake St. Clair/Clinton River Mouth | 54.1 | 10 | 42.62450312 | -82.80895097 |
| Lakeside/ Lake St. Clair | 51.6 | 11 | 42.54476042 | -82.82420648 |
| Portage/Portage-Burns Waterway | 51.4 | 12 | 41.61907151 | -87.1613257 |
| Grand Haven/Grand River Mouth | 50.2 | 13 | 43.08592214 | -86.19069645 |
| Buffalo/Niagara River | 49.1 | 14 | 42.89178317 | -78.82860913 |
| Detroit River/Rouge River Mouth | 48.2 | 15 | 42.24781757 | -83.10237223 |
| Green Bay/Fox River Mouth | 47.2 | 16 | 44.50678513 | -88.0352223 |
| Calumet River Mouth/Lake Michigan | 45.6 | 17 | 41.72117219 | -87.47669179 |
| Fairport Harbor/Grand River Mouth | 39.6 | 18 | 41.73163769 | -81.32558678 |
| Milwaukee/Kinnickinnic River Mouth | 39 | 19 | 43.03939105 | -87.87057235 |
| East Chicago/Indiana Harbor Canal | 36.7 | 20 | 41.64106776 | -87.48644047 |
| Evanston/North Shore Channel Mouth | 35.8 | 21 | 42.05594873 | -87.65556237 |
| Erie/Presque Isle Bay | 34.8 | 22 | 42.15878721 | -80.12405155 |
| Toussaint River Mouth | 34.5 | 23 | 41.59925601 | -83.11233643 |
| Rochester/Genesee River Mouth | 32.7 | 24 | 43.21692886 | -77.6132729 |
| Lorain/Black River Mouth | 32.2 | 25 | 41.49775316 | -82.14371427 |
| Racine/Root River Mouth | 28 | 26 | 42.7114665 | -87.79822361 |
| Saugatuck/Kalamazoo River Mouth | 27 | 27 | 42.68529622 | -86.24761578 |
| Port Clinton/Lake Erie | 26.2 | 28 | 41.49767732 | -82.91177596 |
| Port Huron/Saint Clair River | 24.4 | 29 | 42.98927758 | -82.40247056 |
| Holland/Lake Macatawa Mouth | 24 | 30 | 42.76540429 | -86.23628464 |
| Illinois Beach State Park North | 24 | 31 | 42.47081142 | -87.82670558 |
| Lincoln Park | 22.9 | 32 | 41.97580089 | -87.66515271 |
| Vermilion/Vermilion River Mouth | 22.8 | 33 | 41.44135457 | -82.37424606 |
| Rocky River/Rocky River Mouth | 22.3 | 34 | 41.46230021 | -81.82147337 |
| Monroe/River Raisin Mouth | 22.1 | 35 | 41.87065468 | -83.39263539 |
| North Tonawanda/Erie Canal | 21.8 | 36 | 43.06474459 | -78.89796472 |
| Lackawanna/Union Canal | 21.4 | 37 | 42.81254574 | -78.84850034 |
| Irondequoit/Genesee River Mouth | 21.2 | 38 | 43.29602151 | -77.59184108 |
| Duluth/St. Louis River Mouth | 21.2 | 39 | 46.79650751 | -92.11037672 |
| Ashtabula/Ashtabula River Mouth | 21.2 | 40 | 41.91969845 | -80.84326425 |
| Detroit River Mouth/Gibraltar | 18.8 | 41 | 42.0991662 | -83.24056731 |
| Detroit River/Belle Isle | 18.7 | 42 | 42.31661272 | -82.97861474 |
| Niagara River Mouth/Fort Erie | 18.2 | 43 | 42.9062136 | -78.93764195 |
| Black River Mouth/South Haven | 18.1 | 44 | 42.36494372 | -86.2926795 |
| Eastlake/Chagrin River Mouth | 17.7 | 45 | 41.6644758 | -81.44991498 |
| Detroit River/Amherstburg | 17.1 | 46 | 42.08834963 | -83.13201376 |
| Waukegan | 16.9 | 47 | 42.39060926 | -87.83615578 |
| Grand River Mouth/Grand Haven | 16.6 | 48 | 43.09417787 | -86.30124456 |
| Detroit River/Grosse Point Park | 16.2 | 49 | 42.39634892 | -82.96358636 |
| Chicago/Chicago River Inland | 15.8 | 50 | 41.89565982 | -87.67472109 |
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