Feature Stories

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2008 High-Flow Experiment at Glen Canyon Dam
On March 5, 2008, the Department of the Interior began a 60-hour high-flow experiment at Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona, to determine if water releases designed to mimic natural seasonal flooding could be used to improve downstream resources in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Grand Canyon National Park.

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Status of the Grand Canyon Population of Humpback Chub
The Colorado River Basin supports one of the most distinctive fish communities in North America, including the federally endangered humpback chub (Gila cypha). One of only six remaining populations of this fish is found in Grand Canyon, Arizona.

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Operating the Dam to Improve Resources in the Grand Canyon
In 2005, the U.S. Geological Survey produced a comprehensive report which documented the condition and trends of resources downstream of Glen Canyon Dam from 1991 to 2004. This fact sheet updates the 2005 report to extend its findings to include data published through April 2009 for key resources.

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Research Furthers Conservation of Grand Canyon Sandbars
Changes have disrupted the sedimentary processes that create and maintain Grand Canyon sandbars. Sandbars create habitat for native plants and animals, supply camping beaches for river runners and hikers, and provide sediment needed to protect archaeological resources from weathering and erosion.

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Effects of three high-flow experiments on the Colorado River
Three high-flow experiments (HFEs) were conducted by the U.S. Department of the Interior at Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona, in March 1996, November 2004, and March 2008. These experiments, also known as artificial or controlled floods, were large-volume, scheduled releases of water from Glen Canyon Dam th...

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The Effects of Glen Canyon Dam Operations on Early Life Stage
The Lees Ferry reach of the Colorado River—a 16-mile segment from Glen Canyon Dam to the confluence with the Paria River—supports an important recreational rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fishery...