The Colorado River will be rocking and rolling through Grand Canyon National Park later this month as a "spring disturbance flow" is released from Glen Canyon Dam upstream.
The release is set for March 15 to 26. The operation will coincide with required maintenance on the concrete apron downstream of the dam and powerplant. The spring disturbance flow will not affect the monthly or annual release volumes from Lake Powell.
Lake Powell releases through Glen Canyon Dam will be reduced to 4,000 cubic feet per second beginning March 15. Flows will begin a gradual increase on March 20, will peak at 20,150 cfs on March 22 and will remain steady at that level until March 25. Typical flows in March range from a daily low of 8,000 cfs to daily highs around 15,000 cfs.
Standard operations will resume on the morning of March 26.
The disturbance flows are designed to simulate a spring-timed runoff event. As the changing flows disturb river bottom habitats, ecosystem responses may include elevated algae and insect production resulting in increased aquatic insect prey for endangered humpback chub, non-native rainbow trout, and other wildlife.
The flows also may affect the non-native brown trout in Glen Canyon by reducing survival of emerging young, which may help protect native fish in the river. Scientists will study the effects of the modified flows in Glen, Marble, and Grand canyons and the resulting data may be used to make future recommendations on how to better support the Colorado River ecosystem.
"Scientific studies like these are an important part of our obligation to effectively balance the need for water and power resources with responsible stewardship of the Colorado River ecosystem," said U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's Upper Colorado Basin Regional Director Wayne Pullan. "This spring disturbance flow was developed and proposed by agency experts from the Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Geological Survey, and Western Area Power Administration in close collaboration with Colorado River stakeholders, with strong support from environmental and recreational interests. I applaud the partnership and collaboration of the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Work Group, including all seven basin states and five Native American tribes, to continue our successful adaptive approach to managing Glen Canyon Dam."
Additional information about this release will be posted and updated online at: https://www.usbr.gov/uc/progact/amp/DisturbanceFlow.html
Stories about:
Story Categories:
A copy of National Parks Traveler's financial statements may be obtained by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: National Parks Traveler, P.O. Box 980452, Park City, Utah 84098. National Parks Traveler was formed in the state of Utah for the purpose of informing and educating about national parks and protected areas.
Residents of the following states may obtain a copy of our financial and additional information as stated below:
- Florida: A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION FOR NATIONAL PARKS TRAVELER, (REGISTRATION NO. CH 51659), MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING 800-435-7352 OR VISITING THEIR WEBSITE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.
- Georgia: A full and fair description of the programs and financial statement summary of National Parks Traveler is available upon request at the office and phone number indicated above.
- Maryland: Documents and information submitted under the Maryland Solicitations Act are also available, for the cost of postage and copies, from the Secretary of State, State House, Annapolis, MD 21401 (410-974-5534).
- North Carolina: Financial information about this organization and a copy of its license are available from the State Solicitation Licensing Branch at 888-830-4989 or 919-807-2214. The license is not an endorsement by the State.
- Pennsylvania: The official registration and financial information of National Parks Traveler may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling 800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.
- Virginia: Financial statements are available from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 102 Governor Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219.
- Washington: National Parks Traveler is registered with Washington State’s Charities Program as required by law and additional information is available by calling 800-332-4483 or visiting www.sos.wa.gov/charities, or on file at Charities Division, Office of the Secretary of State, State of Washington, Olympia, WA 98504.
National parks and their natural resources belong to you. The National Parks Traveler works to ensure you know how these essential places are being cared for.
Sign Up For Our Weekly Newsletter
Unsubscribe at any time.
INN Member
The easiest way to explore RV-friendly National Park campgrounds.
Here’s the definitive guide to National Park System campgrounds where RVers can park their rigs.
Our app is packed with RVing- specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 national parks.
You’ll also find stories about RVing in the parks, tips helpful if you’ve just recently become an RVer, and useful planning suggestions.
Comments
Congratulations to all involved to find a compromise, our National Parks/Monuments need that kind of leadership. Keep up the good work, I have lots of Grandchildren I share the beauty of our National Parks, Thanks
Will continue to ruin this fishery. Zapping/killing fish, bounties on brown trout and all to protect a fish that nobody gives a damn about. Appreciate the efforts to simulate the runoff but let's not pretend they are doing what's best.
This comment is so dumb. You're actually advocating for destruction of an ecosystem to make your fishing trip better? Let's not pretend that what's best for you, is best for me, or the environment.
Blowing out the spawn, zapping fish for selective removal and bounties isn't really protecting the ecosystem. Simulating a runoff is one thing, the actions taking place are a bit more. And yes, guilty of wanting to preserve this world class fishery.
If we would stop issuing building permits downstream or at least limt them to multi family only downstream from Powell, Mead etc. we would be benefiting nature, conserving water and not have to hear outlandish theories about emptying Lake Powell, the cost of this to and punitive attitude is short sided.
The one thousand year comment is blunted by two other studies showing that the drought may end in the next 5 years, lets stop using selective science to make an argumnet to fit ones individual view, or at least acknoledge that other university studies and climate pattern studies holding differing predictions.
After all climate forecasting is a prediction by default as a result of it being in the future...
Lots of people care about the native fish.not just for the sake of helping reduce our impact on the environment, but also to learn from fish that have adapted to drough conditions. If you want trout, go upstream to the mountains where they are there naturally and in huge quantities.
My rafting party was on the river in 2004 when the first major high flow event was created at 42,500 and we were given no warning in advance of the release. It was a bad sequence of events as were being chased by high water for the first half of the trip and one person in another party died in Hance, in part, due to the release. I made sure the NPS and BOR heard that this was a terrible way to treat private parties! Interestingly, what is now called a high water event is only around 20,000 cfs vs.what we had. That says something about pool levels and water conditions in the West. Not a good sign.
I was just at Lake Powell trying out my boat and doing some fishing end of February 2021. The lake was only at 39% full it was sad to see it so low. It seems to me some water storage should probably be considered as nature would be doing the same as what is going into the reservoir should be going out the whole point of the dam was for storage. Why can't the reservoir remain at a 75% full and then release the same amount that's going in and adjust accordingly isn't that the way nature would do it???
Because that would make too much sense
Thank you at least someone understood what I was saying
Because of the amount of water lost in the colorado river basin as well as lake Powell and mead to evaporation, these lakes will likely never be full again. It's worth it to read up on water in the west. We've been in a prolonged drought since 2000
I have a few comments. First, it's true that Lake Powell's primary purpose is as a storage reservoir and trying out your boat and doing some fishing are, along with the other recreational uses, secondary; but, in that context, Lake Mead is also a storage reservoir that is critical in supporting the downstream "recreation" at Vegas. Water levels at Lake Mead is also extraordinarily low. So, in addition to enabling "required maintenance on the concrete apron downstream of the dam and powerplant" and simulating a once normal "spring-timed runoff event" that will benefit the aquatic and riparian environments, these flows will move needed water down to Lake Mead to support all that far more lucrative downstream "recreation" at Vegas. We all believe in capitalism and not socialism don't we?
Second, what is happening with regard to "pool levels and water conditions in the West" is certainly not a good sign. In fact, drought conditions are horrible and, according to some sources and based on some significant evidence, they could trend in that direction for up to as much a thousand years. Even if the reality turns out to be only fractionally as bad as those worst projections, both the current situation and the predictions are bad. It is highly likely that the need at Lake Mead and the financial forces in play will ensure that the far more lucrative downstream "recreation" at Vegas gets priority for how Lake Powell water gets used. Regardless of today's political performance art, money talks, especially in Utah. Again, we all believe in capitalism and not socialism don't we?
Third, I think we need to remember that construction of the dam at Glen Canyon drowned once scenic canyons and is now well on its way to filling them with silt under Lake Powell. Over the longer term, which might not be as long as we might think, the combination of drought-impaired lower flows into Lake Powell and Lake Powell's notoriously high siltation rates will reduce the depth of that reservoir, increase evaporation rates, and decrease Lake Powell's value for water storage. I know the people in that part of the country and, at some point, the value of selling that water and using the flats created at the bottom of Lake Powell for agriculture and development will begin to outweigh the value of the remaining mud puddle. The dam at Glen Canyon will start to be seen as just one more anachronistic liability that needs to be "repurposed" if not removed, perhaps leaving some remnant concrete to memorialize the area's mostly revisionist and reinvented "pioneer" heritage. The river will be channelized and controlled, partly for local irrigation, but most of the water will be sent directly down to what's left of Lake Mead. It will take a long time and, for some, it might be sad. No more nonnative fish to be caught by nonnative Americans; but, again, we all believe in capitalism and not socialism don't we?
Good post.
Why even worry about this problem? Didnt the people in power now like AOC say that we only have 12 years to live because of global warming ? I say run up your credit cards and empty your bank accounts.going fishing and renting large houseboats on lake powel and lake mead because.very soon it will all be over. Having experienced this big flow the last time it is good for the rebuilding of sandbars and riparian areas...however we are in a very serious drought and maybe we should hold off dumping water down to the gulf at this time.
There's a timely article on this topic on page A2 of this morning's Bozeman Daily Chronicle. According to the article, it's going to be a real water law brawl with everyone behaving as selfishly as possible and Utah predictably setting the fake moral tone, business as usual in the American West.
National Park Traveler your title is misleading, high flows? This is essentially a low flow event. Flows Over 20000cfs have been typical summer release flows for over 20 years now. In the month of March that flow regime is only about 5000 cfs over the average high flow. The low flow of 4000cfs is the real story here! And 4000cfs will be more challenging and require more skill in many rapids than rapids at the 20000cfs flows! 4000cfs has not been seen since probably the the 1980’s. 20K is NOT a high flow! Writers should really research and pay attention more before writing articles and then slapping on click bait titles!
Maybe do a little reserch here before writing an article. 20k cfs is not high flows. The title might be low flows coming to the Grand Canyon.
Well, okay then, it's all coming clear to me now. If we just plant some bubblegum trees on the slopes of the Big Rock Candy Mountains, we can have crystal fountains where springs will gush lemonade that flows down through the rocks and into a lake of stew ...where we'll all paddle around in a big canoe. The trees will all have fruit and barns will fill with hay. All the chickens will lay soft-boiled eggs and we'll never change our socks. Oh, I'm bound to go where there ain't no snow, where the rain don't fall and the winds don't blow, in those Big Rock Candy Mountains.
Oh, if only that's all it's going to take to have common sense, it'll be easy for us to have good governance.