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<br />. <br /> <br />met. The USGS-Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center had primary responsibility for the <br />scientific monitoring and research efforts described in the report. A summary of the conclusions is <br />provided at the end of my director's report. Copies of the full report are available through the USGS- <br />Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center. <br /> <br /> <br />Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program - 2005 Colorado River Ecosystem Science <br />Symposium: The Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center sponsored a science symposium in <br />Tempe, Arizona on Oct. 25 - 27. The Symposium began with a review of the State of Colorado River <br />Ecosystem in Grand Canyon (SCORE Report), which summarizes the results of the monitoring and <br />research done over the last decade. The second day provided a preliminary look at the data and <br />infonnation gathered during the experimental flows conducted during the 2003-2005 time period. The <br />final day highlighted non-experimental research, including spatial and remote sensed data, water quality, <br />physical science, and primary productivity. The symposium concluded with presentations on recent <br />findings related to the federally endangered humpback chub. The abstracts and PowerPoint presentations <br />can be reviewed on the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center website at www.l!Cmrc.IJOv. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center (GCMRC): John F. Hamill has been appointed as <br />the new chief of the GCMRC. John will assume his new duties effective Nov. 13. Many of you will <br />recall that John worked for the USF&WS and served as Director of the Upper Colorado River Recovery <br />Implementation Program from 1988-1997. From 1985-1988 John served as Colorado RiverIPlatte River <br />Endangered Species Coordinator. John currently works for Office of the Secretary of Interior and is <br />serving as Executive Coordinator for the California Desert Project, where he has been since 1999. John. <br />has-a Bachelors of Science in: NafU1ii1 Resource Management from California Polytechnic State <br />University and a Masters in Wildlife Management from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State <br />University. <br /> <br />Glen Canyon Experimental Operations Continue: Beginning on Oct. 4 Reclamation moved to a four <br />turbine operation at Glen Canyon Dam to continue experiments to determine the effects of operations on <br />dissolved oxygen levels in water released from Lake Powell. The combination of the record five-year <br />drought (1999-2004) and above average runoff into Lake Powell doring the spring and summer of 2005 <br />have put large amounts of sediment and organic matter from the reservoir's delta into the lake. These <br />substances consume oxygen as they decay which results in declining dissolved oxygen concentrations in <br />the Colorado River immediately below the dam. While this phenomenon occurs to some degree every <br />summer and fall, oxygen levels this year have reached a level that is causing concern for the health of the <br />trout fishery in the river below the dam. As the river moves downstream, the water cascades through <br />rapids, quickly raising the dissolved oxygen levels, so there is less impact or concern for endangered <br />native fish in the reaches of the Grand Canyon. However, there may be some impact to the non-native <br />trout fishery as fish remaining near the dam become lethargic or temporarily move downstream to more <br />oxygen-rich waters. Reclamation has been conducting short-term experiments to evaluate the relationship <br />between dam operations and dissolved oxygen concentrations. Researchers from the Grand Canyon <br />Monitoring and Research Center are trying to determine if low releases spread among varying numbers of <br />generating units will inject more oxygen into the water. <br /> <br />The issue of declining dissolved oxygen will self-i:orrect itselflater in October or early November when <br />the water in Lake Powell "turns over." This happens when the cooling air temperatures and seasonal <br />winds mix reservoir waters, essentially causing the upper, better oxygenated water to mix with the lower <br />level water that contains lowoxygen. <br /> <br />. Colorado River SaUnlty Control Forum and Advisory CODneD: The Forum and Advisory Council <br />met in Riverside, California on October 25-26. Major activities at those meetings included: <br /> <br />17 <br />