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rESTING or PROPOSED GLER CANYON DAK IRTBRIK OPERATING CRITERIA BUREAU or IU!:CLAMATION July 30, 1991 BackgrolUld On July 27, 1989, the Secretary of the Interior directed that an environmental impact statement be prepared on the effect of the operation of Glen Canyon Dam on the downstream environmental and ecological resources of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Grand Canyon National Park. The Bureau of Reclamation was designated as the lead agency for preparation of the Glen Canyon Dam Environmental Impact Statement (GCDEIS). Cooperating agencies include Arizona Game and Fish Department, The Hualapai Tribe, National Park Service, Western Area Power Administration, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of Interior Office of Environmental Affairs, The Havasupai Tribe, The Navajo Nation, The Hopi Tribe, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The GCDEIS and associated Glen Canyon Environmental Studies (GCES) are on schedule to evaluate the impacts of current and alternative dam operations on the downstream environmental and ecological resources of the Glen Canyon National Recreational Area and Grand Canyon National Park. As part of the GCES, research flows were designed for June 1990 through July 1991 to help determine the impact of Glen Canyon Dam operations. The preparation of the GCDEIS will lead to a long-range plan for operating Glen Canyon Dam by late 1993. Although the commitment to prepare an EIS initiated a resolution process, the issue of interim protection of the downstream environmental and ecological resources remained outstanding. The Commissioner of Reclamation testified before Congress, on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior, that the Secretary will implement interim flows within 90 days of completion of the GCES research flows. The research flows will be concluded by July 31, 1991. Accordingly, interim flows at Glen Canyon Dam should be implemented by November 1, 1991, and remain in place until the final decision is made. An administrative process to develop interim operatin~ criteria for Glen Canyon Dam was initiated in February 1991, and presented to the cooperating agencies for the GCDEIS on February 28, 1991. The interim criteria were further discussed at cooperating agencies meetings held on April 3 and 4, 1991, June 13 and 14, 1991, and July 1 and 2, 1991, and were presented at interested parties meetings the evenings of April 3, 1991, June 13, 1991, and July 1, 1991. The procese to develop interim operating criteria included input from the ResearCh/Scientific Group, the Ecological/Resource Managers, and the Power/ Water Manager.. Recommendations of these groups primarily focus on protec- tion of re.ource. for which they have management responsibilities or other 1