World

Manmade flood to be unleashed in Grand Canyon

by Dave Keating | March 5, 2008 at 04:52 am

1126 views | 7 Recommendations | 6 comments

The federal government will begin a manmade flood of the Grand Canyon on Wednesday morning.
They hope the three-day flood will restore the canyon's ecosystem, which was permanently changed after the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam in 1963.
The Colorado River downstream used to be warm and muddy, but now it's cold and clear. The shift helped speed the extinction of four fish species and push two others, including the endangered humpback chub, near the edge.
Officials hope the flooding will stir up sediment and redistribute it through the canyon, which will get about four to five times the normal amount of water released from the dam during this week's flood.

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Brian A Kennedy

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 05:39 on March 5th, 2008

This ought to make for some fascinating pics tomorrow...

ScienceDave

at 09:30 on March 5th, 2008

I'm not sure how they expect three days to re-establish an ecosystem first disturbed 40 years ago...

From the LA Times:

National park officials said that 10 years of research at a cost of $80
million had shown that the flooding as planned could irreparably harm
the national park's ecology and resources.

and

The U.S. Geological Survey acknowledged the floods had been timed in part to maximize power generation during peak demand. Martin said he and his staff had been "assured" this week that they
would be allowed to discuss additional releases, including the
possibility of flooding during summer months.

This sounds suspiciously less altruistic, and more like a plan to see "what might happen if we do it?".

Jordan Yerman

at 09:32 on March 5th, 2008

Maybe they're hoping to create some sort of genesis-bog.

ScienceDave

at 09:39 on March 5th, 2008

Animals will spring forth from the re-distrubuted mud and sediments! Whole deer will appear from the sand, and wolves will eat them.

I totally should have written that book.

Swan

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 11:53 on March 5th, 2008

Hi Dave,

Great story - great stuff!

I actually reacted with horror when I read the headline. Having seen the Grand Canyon's natural beauty, I can't imagine it being flooded!

Pardon a nâive voice, but this won't be permanent flooding will it? I see in the article that there are plans to possibly do it again!

Of course it will stir up the sediment as claimed, but eventually that sediment would be washed away down the canyon - along with all the little animals that live there - what are they thinking?
~ Swan

grand canyon west (not verified)

at 04:15 on July 13th, 2009

Thanks for sharing.The Grand Canyon Skywalk has become one of the most popular destinations in the world. The horseshoe-shaped glass bridge suspended over 4,000 feet above the bottom of the canyon rises higher that the worlds larges skyscrapers. The skywalk is owned by the Hualapai Indians and was opened in 2007. Because it is located only 120 miles from Las Vegas the Grand Canyon Skywalk has become as popular destination as the south rim.