An Ames park has taken steps to combat a fish overpopulation problem that has interfered with natural plant life in the area.

The City of Ames Water and Pollution Control Department will be installing new screens on entrances to ponds at Ada Hayden Heritage Park to protect the wetlands from carp.

“We’re trying to find out how bad the [carp] problem really is by draining the southern-most cell, and so far we’ve been seeing lots of carp,” said Lyle Hammes, an environmental engineer for Ames Water and Pollution Control.

He said the cell, which is a unit of measure in a park, is not drained far enough, however, to ascertain the amount of carp in the wetlands.

Hammes said the project started Monday, but he did not know how long it would take. The first cell will be drained by Monday, after which they will know how serious the carp problem is and how long the rest of the project will take. He said the carp are inhibiting the growth of vegetation in the wetlands and taking much-needed nutrients from the ponds.

The wetlands are divided into several cells and he said by focusing on the southern area of the wetlands, the Ames Water and Pollution Control Department hopes to start controlling the carp.

Hammes said if they can stop the carp by using the screens at one main entrance in the southern-most cell, one block should be able to take care of a majority of the carp problem.

“$10,000 or less should be able to cover all of the material and labor needed to carry the procedure out,” Hammes said. The city will be responsible for these duties.

Susan Gwiasda, City of Ames public relations officer, said the carp were interfering with native plant life in the wetlands.

“More and more vegetation is being uprooted. [Ames Water and Pollution] are focusing on two main cells, two wetland treatment systems. Once those are managed we hope to have the problem under control.”

Gwiasda also said park officials thought the problem would decrease after last winter because the carp would freeze and die out. Because of a mild winter and the fact that carp burrow for warmth, she said the fish survived, leaving the park with a lingering problem.

She said putting the screens into place and restricting the entrance of the carp should be a one-time procedure. If Ames Water and Pollution Control and Ada Hayden Park are able to successfully stop the infestation of carp in the wetlands, nutrients should be restored without any long-term damage to the wetlands, she said.