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<br />Executive SummlU'Y <br /> <br />Results in Brief <br /> <br />In general, Reclamation used appropriate methodologies and the best <br />available information in determining the potential impact of the dam's <br />various flow alternatives on selected resources. GAO identified some <br />shortcomings and controversy in Reclamation's application of certain <br />methodologies, and some of the data that Reclamation used in making its <br />impact determinations were dated, preliminary, or incomplete. These <br />limitations, combined with the inherent uncertainty associated with <br />making forecasts, reduces the precision of the impacts contained in the <br />statement, and some uncertainty, such as the impact of steady flows on <br />fish resources, remains, Nonetheless, according to GAO'S analysis and the <br />opinions of experts, these limitations are not significant enough to alter <br />the relative ranking of the flow alternatives nor render the final <br />environmental impact statement unusable as a decision-making document. <br />Furthermore, Reclamation recognizes that uncertainties still exist. To <br />address these concerns, Reclamation intends to initiate a process of <br />"adaptive management" that would provide for long-term monitoring and <br />research to measure the actual effects of the selected alternative, The <br />results of this effort would form the basis for possible future modifications <br />of the dam's operations. <br /> <br />Many of the key interested parties affected by the Glen Canyon Dam's <br />environmental impact statement support the process used by Reclamation <br />to develop the impact statement as well as the implementation of the <br />preferred alternative, However, while expressing their support, some <br />interested parties raised speCific concerns that still exist about the final <br />environmental impact statement, including (1) the manner in which <br />compliance with the Endangered Species Act will be achieved, (2) the <br />economic impact of reducing the Glen Canyon Dam's hydroelectriC power <br />capacity, (3) the consideration of other pOSSible causes of adverse <br />downstream impacts, (4) the difficulties in measuring the impact of <br />changes in the dam's operations, (5) the adequacy of the measures for <br />reducing the frequency of unscheduled floods, (6) the need for installing <br />multilevel water intake structures (selective withdrawal structures) on the <br />dam to raise the downstream water temperature, and (7) the <br />implementation of the Adaptive Management Program, <br /> <br />Pa.ge 5 <br /> <br />GAOIRCED-97-12 Glen Canyon Dam's Envtronmentallmpa.ct Statement <br />