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<br />Public concern is centered on the impact <br />operations on: <br /> <br />of dam <br /> <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />generating roughly $80 million annually in gross power <br />revenues (Source: Colorado River Basin Annual <br />Operations Reports 10 through 15). <br /> <br />Fluctuating Releases From The Dam Caused Public <br />Concern <br /> <br />The powerplant at Glen Canyon Dam was designed to <br />function as a "peaking power" facility. Rather than <br />releasing water and generating electricity at a steady <br />rate, a peaking power facility varies the release of <br />water on a daily, monthly, and seasonal basis to pro- <br />duce electricity when it is most needed and its eco- <br />nomic value is greatest. For example, it is not uncom- <br />mon for flows to be varied from 5,000 cfs to 30,000 <br />cfs in a day. This causes the river level to change by <br />7 to more than 13 feet, depending upon the location. <br /> <br />Fluctuating releases associated with' peaking power <br />operations have caused concern among river users, <br />primarily those who fish in Glen Canyon and who take <br />white-water raft trips in Grand Canyon, and among envi- <br />ronmental groups concerned about possible detrimental <br />effects on downstream riparian and aquatic habitats. <br /> <br />- the quality and safety of fishing in Glen Canyon <br />- the quality and safety of white-water boating <br />- erosion of beaches in the Grand Canyon <br />- terrestrial vegetation and wildlife <br />- endangered and common native fish species <br /> <br />These concerns were expressed most forcefully during <br />two BaR studies of possible increases in peaking power <br />generation at Glen Canyon Dam. The studies were made <br />to determine costs and benefits of (1) adding one or <br />ltlore generators at Glen Canyon Dam (the "Peaking Power" <br />study) and (2) increasing the capacity of the existing <br />generators (the "Uprate and Rewind" study). <br /> <br />Either of these actions could affect the daily <br />fluctuation in dam releases. Implementation of the <br />Uprate and Rewind Program . would increase peak <br />powerplant releases only from 31,500 cfs to 33,100 <br /> <br />10 <br />