Post by madratdan on Aug 24, 2005 20:53:41 GMT -5
Though not cave related, I found this to be a very interesting bit of information about the river flow experiments within the Grand Canyon. Man trying to understand and reright nature to an extent. Fastinating!!
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US Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado Regional Office, Salt Lake City, UT
Media Contact: Doug Hendrix (801) 524-3837, dhendrix@uc.usbr.gov
Stacey Carroll (801) 524-3813
For Release: August 24, 2005
Reclamation to Initiate Experimental Releases from Glen Canyon Dam to Evaluate Effects on Sediment Conservation and Native Fish Habitats
Salt Lake City, UT – The Bureau of Reclamation announced today that in conjunction with the National Park Service and the U.S. Geological Survey, it will soon begin a series of alternating steady and low fluctuating experimental releases from Glen Canyon Dam to evaluate fine sediment conservation measures and effects on native fish near shore rearing habitats in the Colorado River downstream of the dam.
Over the course of September 1 to September 3, 2005, Reclamation will reduce releases from Glen Canyon Dam. In August 2005 releases have been fluctuating between a low of 10,000 cubic-feet-second (cfs) to a high of about 18,000 cfs each day. By September 3, 2005, the daily release pattern will be reduced to a range of 6,500 to 9,000 cfs. These lowered daily fluctuations will continue until September 21 at which time releases will change to a steady release of 8,000 cfs. On October 8, dam releases will revert back to 6,500 to 9,000 cfs daily fluctuations. These fluctuations will be replaced on October 20 with a resumption of steady 8,000 cfs, which will persist through the remainder of October. Normal dam operations will resume on November 1, 2005.
In November 2004, as a precursor to this year’s experimental releases, Reclamation and various other federal and state agencies conducted a scientific study on the use of high flows from Glen Canyon Dam to conserve sediment that had accumulated below the confluence of the Paria River in Marble Canyon. The high flows were released from the dam following input of approximately one million metric tons of fine sediments to the Colorado from the Paria and other tributaries.
The purpose of the high flow was to determine the extent to which it is possible to rebuild beaches and backwater habitats as a means to improve natural resources in the Grand Canyon. Under the high flow test experiment, the peak flow released from Glen Canyon Dam reached approximately 41,000 cfs and lasted for two and one-half days (60 hours). The water released from Glen Canyon Dam during the experiment did not change the amount of water to be released over the course of the 2005 water year.
Both the high flow test conducted in November 2004 and the upcoming experimental releases are being implemented based on recommendations made by the Adaptive Management Work Group of the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program (GCDAMP), a federal advisory committee to the Secretary of the Interior, in August 2004. These actions are being implemented in water years 2005 and 2006 to improve the potential for success in achieving the purposes of the original action agreed to in 2002.
The Adaptive Management Work Group is a federally chartered advisory group to Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton that meets on a regular basis to review the impacts of Glen Canyon Dam on downstream resources and to develop recommendations on management actions to protect the downstream ecosystem. The Adaptive Management Program provides a process to implement both the Grand Canyon Protection Act of 1992 and the 1996 Record of Decision for the Operation of Glen Canyon Dam Environmental Impact Statement. Additional information concerning the Adaptive Management Program and the work of the Adaptive Management Work Group may be found on the Bureau of Reclamation’s web page, located at: www.usbr.gov/uc/rm/amp/index.html
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US Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado Regional Office, Salt Lake City, UT
Media Contact: Doug Hendrix (801) 524-3837, dhendrix@uc.usbr.gov
Stacey Carroll (801) 524-3813
For Release: August 24, 2005
Reclamation to Initiate Experimental Releases from Glen Canyon Dam to Evaluate Effects on Sediment Conservation and Native Fish Habitats
Salt Lake City, UT – The Bureau of Reclamation announced today that in conjunction with the National Park Service and the U.S. Geological Survey, it will soon begin a series of alternating steady and low fluctuating experimental releases from Glen Canyon Dam to evaluate fine sediment conservation measures and effects on native fish near shore rearing habitats in the Colorado River downstream of the dam.
Over the course of September 1 to September 3, 2005, Reclamation will reduce releases from Glen Canyon Dam. In August 2005 releases have been fluctuating between a low of 10,000 cubic-feet-second (cfs) to a high of about 18,000 cfs each day. By September 3, 2005, the daily release pattern will be reduced to a range of 6,500 to 9,000 cfs. These lowered daily fluctuations will continue until September 21 at which time releases will change to a steady release of 8,000 cfs. On October 8, dam releases will revert back to 6,500 to 9,000 cfs daily fluctuations. These fluctuations will be replaced on October 20 with a resumption of steady 8,000 cfs, which will persist through the remainder of October. Normal dam operations will resume on November 1, 2005.
In November 2004, as a precursor to this year’s experimental releases, Reclamation and various other federal and state agencies conducted a scientific study on the use of high flows from Glen Canyon Dam to conserve sediment that had accumulated below the confluence of the Paria River in Marble Canyon. The high flows were released from the dam following input of approximately one million metric tons of fine sediments to the Colorado from the Paria and other tributaries.
The purpose of the high flow was to determine the extent to which it is possible to rebuild beaches and backwater habitats as a means to improve natural resources in the Grand Canyon. Under the high flow test experiment, the peak flow released from Glen Canyon Dam reached approximately 41,000 cfs and lasted for two and one-half days (60 hours). The water released from Glen Canyon Dam during the experiment did not change the amount of water to be released over the course of the 2005 water year.
Both the high flow test conducted in November 2004 and the upcoming experimental releases are being implemented based on recommendations made by the Adaptive Management Work Group of the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program (GCDAMP), a federal advisory committee to the Secretary of the Interior, in August 2004. These actions are being implemented in water years 2005 and 2006 to improve the potential for success in achieving the purposes of the original action agreed to in 2002.
The Adaptive Management Work Group is a federally chartered advisory group to Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton that meets on a regular basis to review the impacts of Glen Canyon Dam on downstream resources and to develop recommendations on management actions to protect the downstream ecosystem. The Adaptive Management Program provides a process to implement both the Grand Canyon Protection Act of 1992 and the 1996 Record of Decision for the Operation of Glen Canyon Dam Environmental Impact Statement. Additional information concerning the Adaptive Management Program and the work of the Adaptive Management Work Group may be found on the Bureau of Reclamation’s web page, located at: www.usbr.gov/uc/rm/amp/index.html