Manmade Flood to Nourish Grand Canyon Ecosystem

Dr. Eggman writes "The Associated Press brings us news of a flood in the Grand Canyon. This flood is no ordinary flood, however. This is a man-made flood released from the Glen Canyon Dam. The Dam is releasing four to five times its normal amount of water over the course of a three day artificial flood. Scientists are conducting this massive experiment in order to document and better understand the complex relation of the aquatic habitats, natural floods, and the sediment they bring. Floods no longer bring sediment to these parts of the canyon as the Dam keeps it locked up and released in small, drawn out intervals. The Dam prevents the floods from bringing the sediments in to replenish the sandbars and allow the river to maintain its warm, murky habitat rather than a cool, clear one. It is thought that this cool clear environment brought on by the dam is responsible for helping to extinguish 4 species of fish and push 2 more towards the brink. It is hoped that this terra-reformation experiment will positively impact the habitat and fish populations, warranting further artificial floods at an increased rate of every one to two years rather than the time span between the two previous floods and this one of 8 and 4 years."

Don't worry about it

[Anonymous Coward]

Nature isn't easily effected by man. Witness for example this year's very cold wintar. Looks like global warming is on the retreat. The earth is actually quite robust.

Re:enough sediment

[Dr. Eggman]

The flood is a three-day event, and "The water level in the canyon will only rise a few feet." Water flows regularly in the area, but its a flood event when an abnormally high volume of water is released over a period of time. Think of the Nile river floods of ancient Egypt; they weren't sweeping away everything in their path, but gently raising the water levels to consume the banks, depositing sediment before receding and leaving revitalized agricultural grounds to the Egyptian farmers.

Challenge at Glen Canyon

[ElDuque]

The Glen Canyon Dam was almost the site of a much larger flood in 1983, when it was nearly overtopped.

http://www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=&q=%22the+1983+flood+at+glen+canyon%22&btnG=Google+Search [google.com]
http://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2003-03/water-vapor-almost-busts-dam [popsci.com]

The cavitation damage to the solid rock of the spillway walls was truly incredible.

For an exciting telling of the story, search Google Video for "Challenge at Glen Canyon". (You will be instantly reminded of every National Parks visitors center you have been in.)

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1358563539762136744 [google.com]

Re:I have a better idea!

[wamerocity]

Great idea, except for that damn follows along the path to Lake Tahoe, and eventually to many thousands and thousands of residents of California who rely on Lake Powell to get their drinking water. I had a professor who was the president of the Glen Canyon Institute (a group that wants to drain Lake Powell and 'restore' Glen Canyon) and I've read all the arguments of why they think the dam is a bad idea, but they can never come up with a better solution on how to store all the millions of gallons of water for California as well as the 1.3 Megawatts of power it produces for many of the people in northern Arizona (especially since hydroelectric is the most 'green' source of power on the planet tied with solar power.)

Was there in '96

[doooooosh]

Went on a ten day backpack through a portion of the canyon just after they did this in 1996. I've traveled extensively since then all over the world, and that trip stands out as one of the most amazing I've ever been on. The sandbars that the floods left behind were the size of football fields in places, and as our group was the first to come through after the flooding, they were untouched. (Though the muddied river was hell on our water filters). Anyone who has the opportunity really should take a trip through the canyon at some point (how I envied the rafters who would float effortlessly by!); it's truly an awe inspiring trip.