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Saving Grand Lake

From left to right: Colby Gainer, Jason Schooley and Hae Kim hold a fish caught by a skilled angler.
Courtesy Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
From left to right: Colby Gainer, Jason Schooley and Hae Kim hold a fish caught by a skilled angler.

In the foothills of Northeast Oklahoma’s Ozark Mountain range, biologists use conservation outreach and research to save Grand Lake.

Our weekly program, Missouri State Journal, is a collaboration between KSMU Radio and Missouri State University. It's hosted and produced by MSU's Office of Strategic Communication, and it airs each Tuesday morning at 9:45 a.m. on KSMU. 

What happens under the water in our lakes and ponds is a mystery to most.

Invasive species like bighead carp have created problems and mysteries in lake systems for years. Their behavior affects wildlife in Mississippi, Ohio, Illinois, Kansas, and Oklahoma and aquatic life in the Missouri River.

But what is being done to eradicate populations of bighead carp?

Dr. Quinton Phelps, assistant professor of biology at Missouri State University, and Hae Kim, biology research assistant, explain how they are using conservation outreach and research to save Grand Lake.

Read the full transcript

Adair Seifert has worked at Missouri State University since 2022. She’s currently the content strategist in the Office of Strategic Communication. She is a content creator and social media manager and has a BS in communication studies from Evangel University.