Spring Scientific Conference

This past week, many IRBS staff attended the annual meeting of the Mississippi River Research Consortium, a group of public agencies, private organizations and universities that conduct research on the Mississippi River and it’s watershed. IRBS staff and graduate students authored or co-authored 7 oral presentations and 5 poster presentations, in addition to serving on multiple positions on the board of directors. 

Additionally, grad student Abigail Roussin received a conference scholarship, and grad student Cody Haglock received the best student poster award! 

Group photo of IRBS staff that attended the Mississippi River Research Consortium conference
Group photo of IRBS staff that attended the Mississippi River Research Consortium conference.

May & June 2019 Flooding on the Illinois River

IRBS staff members behind flood wall
Andrya Whitten, Amber Blackert, Jim Lamer, Kris Maxon, Brandon Harris, Levi Solomon, McKayla Susen, Kara Phelps, Jason DeBoer, Jesse Williams, and Matt Altenritter

IRBS staff members filled sand bags and assembled a muscle wall to prevent the station from being flooded with a predicted crest on the Illinois River in Havana at ~26.5 ft.

Director Jim Lamer and ecologists Jason DeBoer and Levi Solomon talked with reporter Matt Sheehan from WMBD out of Peoria, Illinois about some of the beneficial effects that floods can have on fish, and also the difficulty of working on and around the river when it’s flooded.

Watch the video here ->