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<br />-"'r <br />! <br /> <br />~ - ~ ~ <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />Bureau of Reclamation <br /> <br />Salt Lake City, Utah <br />Barry D. Wirth (801)524-5403 <br />For Release July 30, 1991 <br /> <br /> <br />News Release <br /> <br />Upper Colorado Region <br /> <br />RECLAMATION IMPLEMENTS INTERIM FLOW TEST AT GLEN CANYON DAM <br /> <br />Commissioner of Reclamation Dennis B. Underwood today <br /> <br />announced that, on August 1, 1991, the Bureau of Reclamation will <br /> <br />begin testing proposed interim flows at Glen Canyon Dam on the <br />Colorado River. <br /> <br />"The test will be used to determine the suitability of the <br />proposed interim flows," Underwood said. "The interim flows <br />which Secretary of the Interior Manual Lujan is to announce by <br />November 1, 1991, will remain in effect until the Glen Canyon Dam <br />Environmental Impact Statement (GCDEIS) is completed in late 1993 <br />and final criteria for operation of the facility are approved and <br />implemented." <br /> <br />On July 27, 1989, Lujan directed Reclamation to prepare an <br />EIS to determine the impacts of Glen Canyon Dam operations on the <br />downstream ecological and environmental resources within Grand <br />Canyon National Park and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. <br />As part of this process, research flows were initiated at the dam <br />in June 1990 so scientists could study specific, known flow <br />releases and their effects on the resources of the two areas. <br />The research flows will conclude on July 31, 1991. <br /> <br />"The interim test period will allow the Bureau of <br />Reclamation time to more fully evaluate data from research flows <br />and to carry out National Environmental Policy Act compliance for <br />the final implementation of interim flows. This protects one of <br />our nation's greatest resources while meeting basic water and <br />power needs," said Lujan. <br /> <br />For the 90-day test period, maximum flows from the dam will <br />be restricted to 20,000 cubic feet per second (cfs), with a <br />minimum flow of 8,000 cfs between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., and a <br />minimum nighttime flow of 5,000 cfs. Flows will not be allowed <br />to increase more than 2,500 cfs each hour, or decrease more than <br />1,500 cfs each hour. In addition, maximum daily fluctuations <br />