WSP09528

• File Number: 8220.101.09
• Description: Glen Canyon Dam/Lake Powell
• State: AZ
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 8/1/1989
• Author: USDOI-BOR
• Title: Glen Canyon Environmental Studies Update - August 1989
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

scientist. Dr. Duncan Patten has
been hired as the GCES Senior
OPERATIONAL PLAN FOR COLORADO RIVER Scientist, and he is now in the
S b 1989 process of developing a coordinated
October 1988 to eptem er and integrated GCES Phase II
research plan.

In its most simplistic form, the
Integrated Research Plan will serve
as the road map to guide the
development and completion of the
GeES Phase II research. It is not an
end onto itself, but instead
identifies the critical components
and linkages of the Grand Oanyon
, ecosystem and the operations of
Glen Oanyon Dam. It is different
from the GeES Phase I approach
because we are attempting to start
with a research/integration plan
up-front, and avoid many of the
consolidation problems that we
found at the report writing stage.

If an integrated research plan is so
important, why don't more bureaus
Jul AU9 Sep and agencies do it? AJJ with many
I government study efforts, we are
o/1;en confronted with a problem
that needs to be solved and
answered quickly. This does not
always fit into the academic way of
identifying, addressing, and
analyzing a problem. Planning
complex ecological problems
requires more than just computing
the number of cubic yards of
concrete needed to build a dam. It
requires a thorough understanding
of the ecological components and
their spatial and temporal
relationships. Unfortl1llately, while
we know the importance of
integrated research, l'arely does
tinting allow us to complete it.

Dr. Patten, GCES researchers, and
several NAB committee members
recently completed a trip through
the Grand Canyon. Theohjectives of
that trip was to educate everyone to
the research that had been
completed under GOES Phase I,
and to develop the scientific
understanding for the integrated
research plan. The immediate goal
of that effort is to develop a
framework for the integrated plan
that includes the major components
and linkages that define the Grand
Oanyon/Oolorado River ecosystem.
The goal is to tie the GeES scientific

RELEASES (1000 AC-FEET)
1000

800

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o
Oct Nov Dee Jan Feb Mar Apr May J.un
I 1988 I 1989

Hydrology Update for
Glen Canyon Dam

During water year 1989, the actual
inflow to Lake Powell is expected to
be about 6.0 million acre feet (maO,
60 percent of normal. AJJ a result,
l'elease8 wel'e limited to 8.23 maf,
the minimum allowed under the
Operating Criteria. The maximum
elevation ofthe lake this spring was
3,678.64 feet, about 21 feet from
full. Releases the remainder of this
summer will be 910,000 acre feet
(aO in August, and 800,000 af in
September.

111e most probable inflow next year
is expected to be below average due
to the dry condition of the basin.
111is will result in another 8.23 maf
release during water year 1990.
Since most of the upstream
reservoirs will be refilled next year,
this will further reduce the inflow to
Lake Powell. The peak elevation for
Lake Powell during water year 1990
is expected to be about 3,676 feet.
The monthly release pattern is

2

Fig.m!1

expected to be similar to that of
1989 as shown in Figure 1 above.

The GCES Integrated
Research Plan

The last several meetings of the
GCES Technical Teams have
focused on the importance of
developing an Integrated Reseat'Ch
Plan for the GCES Phase II efforts.
Now that we have moved i11to the
GCES Phase II, what is the
Integrated Research Platl?

First, a little history. The original
GCES effort involved the
identification 8l1d study of selected
Colorado River corridor resources
in the Grat1d Canyon. The National
Academy of Sciences (NAS)
recognized in their review of the
GCES program that we lacked a
consistent and integrated plan, and
strongly recommended that to avoid
the problem of unconsolidated
research in the future that we spend
the time up front to develop a
consolidated atld coordinated plan
under the direction of a senior level