Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center
Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center
The U.S. Geological Survey’s Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center (GCMRC) measures effects of Glen Canyon Dam operations on the resources along the Colorado River from Glen Canyon Dam, near Page, Arizona to the inflow of Lake Mead.
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River Geomorphology, Sediment Storage, Sandbar and Campsite Monitoring in Grand Canyon
River channels and their adjacent floodplains are ever evolving in form and composition in response to changing patterns of streamflow, the quantity and size of supplied sediment, and feedbacks with the riparian and aquatic ecosystems. Changes in channel form affect aquatic and riparian habitats, which are important for plants, animals, and insects. Erosion and deposition of river channels and...
Partners in Science
Partners in Science is a collaborative effort between Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center, Grand Canyon Youth, and the National Park Service to provide opportunities for youth to engage in scientific field research in Grand Canyon. This partnership connects youth from diverse backgrounds with the Nation’s natural and cultural resources on 2-3 river-based expeditions on the Colorado River...
Colorado River Basin Science
The Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center, a branch of the Southwest Biological Science Center, conducts scientific assessments of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, focused primarily on Lake Powell and the river ecosystem downstream of Glen Canyon Dam. On this page, we'd like to share related interactive tools and projects by other USGS Centers that cover science across the upper and lower...
GCMRC modeling used in decision-making process for new Glen Canyon Dam Environmental Impact Statements
USGS Southwest Biological Science Center's Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center prepared a cooperator publication and a presentation that report on modeling results to evaluate potential effects of reservoir management on various resources in Lake Powell and Grand Canyon.
Smallmouth bass expansion downstream of Glen Canyon Dam
In the Upper Colorado River Basin, smallmouth bass ( Micropterus dolomieu ) are considered the greatest threat to native fishes and have been linked to declines in federally protected humpback chub ( Gila cypha ), including one population that was rapidly extirpated in the past. Long-term management efforts have been underway to remove smallmouth bass from rivers in the Upper Basin, but smallmouth...
Bat foraging ecology along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon National Park is a hotspot for bat diversity. Twenty-two bat species have been documented in the Park, more than any other national park unit.
Population Dynamics of Threatened Humpback Chub in Grand Canyon
Threatened humpback chub are a native fish found only in the Colorado River Basin. Once found in warm-water canyons in the Basin, the largest population now persists in the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park, downstream of Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell, the reservoir upstream, created by the dam.
Community Science in Grand Canyon
Aquatic insects are important components of riverine foodwebs as they are prey for fish, birds, bats, lizards, and spiders. The closure of Glen Canyon Dam in 1963 fundamentally altered the hydrology, water temperature, and turbidity of the Colorado River through Grand Canyon. These changes, along with competition with invasive species and limited food availability have led to the decline and...
High-Flow Experiments on the Colorado River
Glen Canyon Dam has altered flow and sediment dynamics of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon. Before the dam was completed in 1963, the Colorado River carried a large amount of sand, silt, and clay through Grand Canyon, some of which was deposited during spring floods to create large and abundant sandbars. Sandbars in Grand Canyon are valued as camping areas, create aquatic and riparian habitat...
Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Projects
The Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center currently functions under a Triennial Work Plan (TWP) which is thoroughly reviewed and vetted both internally within the Center and through the GCDAMP Technical Work Group (TWG) and the Adaptive Management Work Group (AMWG). These advisory panels have been a part of the Glen Canyon Dam adaptive management process since the inception of the GCDAMP...
Bug Flows: Improving Food Web Health on the Colorado River
Native and desired nonnative fish downstream of Glen Canyon Dam are food limited—meaning that if more or larger invertebrate food items were available, there would be more and larger fish. Aquatic insects have complex life cycles that include egg, larvae, and pupal stages that are aquatic while adults have wings and are typically terrestrial. Aquatic insects are a fundamental component of river...
Lake Powell Research
Lake Powell is a large arid reservoir that represents about 70% of the water storage capacity for the Upper Colorado River Basin. It is the second largest reservoir in the United States by capacity (second only to Lake Mead). Lake Powell is an oligotrophic reservoir, which means that nutrient concentrations and algal production are generally low. This often results in very clear-water conditions...