Over a century back, the city reversed the flow of its river, connecting the Great Lakes with the Gulf of Mexico and defining itself as the "can-do" capital of the country.

Currently, the once engineering feat is starting to come under growing criticism and scrutiny, with scientists and politicians intensifying their fight against a voracious flying fish that has been going up the Mississippi for 20 years. With growing signs that Asian carp have managed to breach the last defensive barrier, demands for a major revamp are now being made.

"We know these barriers aren't working. An ecological separation is the only permanent solution", said Joel Brammeier, President of the Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Plans to battle the carp include employing commercial fishermen to help wane the population in the waterways which run downstream from Chicago, which might just end up take some pressure off the electric barriers.