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<br /> <br />GLEN CANYON <br />ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES <br />UPDATE <br /> <br />December 1989 <br /> <br />Glen Canyon Dam Flow Studies Initiated <br /> <br /> <br />.....--- . , -- ----. -- <br />~-:~ <br /> <br />, <br />" <br /> <br />From October 4 through 17, 1989, <br />re~eRrcherl!l associated with the <br />nlen Canyon Dam Environmental <br />Studies (GeES) program <br />participated in an extensive <br />ftll81Y8i8 of the impacts and <br />relationship!! RSIJociated with a <br />steady 6.000 cubic feel per 8t>COnd <br />(cre) now n~Jeo.8e from Glen Canyon <br />!Jam. Work W88 initiated prior to <br />theactualnow81Rbilization in order <br />to establish study sites and study <br />pl"QCedun~'!l. Tht., majority or the field <br />eITort was complE'ted during the <br />5.0011 cr.'! low now tei'll period of <br />Octobel- 6 thl"Ough the 9th. <br /> <br />Over 40 I"p;<IE'arChel"5 pSlticipated in <br />the activitit"8. Personnel were <br />cr)llC'entrated in the Lee's Ferry <br />reach with odditiollRI personnel <br />IUCRtt.'d throughuut thE' Gre.nd <br />Canyon. ThE' actual flow releases <br />during thE' four day steady flow <br /> <br />1-eIE'tlse averaged 5,004 efa with a <br />range of 4,835 to 6,1116 cfe. The <br />major areas of study emphasis are <br />outlined below. PriOI' to the <br />initiation of the study flows, the <br />pl"imal'Y researchers, the Glen <br />Canyon Environmental Studiell <br />(GCES) staff, and the Senior <br />Scientist, Dr. Duncan Patten, <br />develuped an Integrated research <br />plan for the test pedo<!. The plan <br />included identification of <br />Iltudy overlap, coordination <br />requirements, nnd level of effort <br />required. <br /> <br />Beach Dynamic Studies <br /> <br />Pe,'sonnel frum the NAtional Park <br />Service and volunteers from <br />Northern Arizolla University .....el.e <br />stationed in Glen Canyon e~ld the <br />Grand Canyun to monitor the <br />changes to seleeted stlnd beeches AS <br /> <br />the flow ~tabilized at 0.0110 efs, and <br />as nuctuating flows we,.e <br />reestablished. Temporary wt'lls, <br />sampliug g,'ids, Bud erosioual <br />indicators wel-e estnbli!'lhed at the <br />beach !'lites nnd sllI.veyed befnre, <br />during, aud after the G,UUU efs <br />relea8e, In addition, nutrient and <br />vegetation nl1ely~es were nhw <br />conducted 8t each site, <br /> <br />Trout Spawning and \Vater <br />Quality <br /> <br />PenlOnnel fl'om the Fish & Wildlife <br />Service. Arizona (Jame & Fish, and <br />the U.S. Geological Survey IOcused <br />Oil evnluating selected sites in the <br />Glen Canyon reach for impacts <br />Msociated with trollt 8pawlling end <br />water quality relationships, Two <br />spawnin~ bars wel'e selected, <br />slU'veyed, and analyzed fOI" pR,.ttcle <br />size distribution and potential <br />spawning use. . <br /> <br />Water quality 8ample8 focused on <br />the nutl"ients and dynamics of <br />nutrient supply though the Glen <br />Canyon reach. Samples were <br />colleeted at Glen Canyon Dam and <br />above Lee's Ferry to evaluate the <br />relationship of nllctuatioll~ aud <br />travel time through the 16 mile <br />l-each. <br /> <br />Aerial Photography and <br />Video Analysis <br /> <br />Aedol photographic dncUnleillRtioll <br />of the !"i\'el. cOI'l'id"r ot 5,IIOU cr~ WRS <br />completed dl\rin~ tilt" low now <br />period. The entire dver wa~ <br />photoF:rnphpd f1"om Glen Cnnynn <br />Danl to PierCe FelTY at Lake I\.h'ad <br />and the loweI' pOltion~ or the Lit Lie <br />Colorado dl"ainop;e. Additiullolly, <br />helicopLer video imager)' wa9 <br />