Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Projects Active
River Geomorphology and Geomorphic Change
Sandbar and sediment storage monitoring and research
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. For more information on the adaptive management process, please see the GCDAMP Page.
Physical Resources
GCMRC has on-going monitoring and research focused on river sediment dynamics, long-term monitoring of sediment resources in the Colorado River corridor, and understanding the connectivity of sand resources throughout the system.
Biological Resources
Several GCMRC projects focus on understanding the biological processes of the Colorado River, the effect of dam operations on both native and nonnative species, population dynamics of important species, and the terrestrial-biological interactions.
Socio-Economic and Cultural
GCMRC is also concerned with understanding the socio-economic values of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, the unique recreational opportunites this environment offers and the cultural significance observed by the Tribal people of this the region.
Administrative History and Guidance That Informs GCMRC Projects
GCMRC'S work plan and science projects align with the needs of the GCDAMP stakeholders. Each project described is organized around monitoring and research themes that are associated with the eleven resource goals identified in the LTEMP ROD: archaeological and cultural resources, natural processes, humpback chub, hydropower and energy, other native fish, recreational experience, sediment, tribal resources, rainbow trout fishery, nonnative invasive species, and riparian vegetation (U.S. Department of the Interior, 2016a; Attachment A).
The monitoring and research projects are responsive to guidance provided in the LTEMP ROD, which, in addition to identifying the priority resources, also identifies flow and non-flow experimental actions and compliance obligations for Glen Canyon Dam operations for the 20 years of the LTEMP. Additional guidance comes from the Science Plan developed by GCMRC (VanderKooi and others, 2017) in support of the LTEMP ROD which describes a general strategy for monitoring and research needed in support of implementation of operations and experimental actions.
Projects in the current TWP have been informed by and build upon previous research and monitoring projects that were responsive to guidance vetted through the GCDAMP and the Secretary of Interior’s office. While the LTEMP ROD defines broad resource goals and identifies new experimental actions and compliance requirements, some of the older guidance continues to have relevance for certain aspects of the current science program and continues to influence current research and monitoring directions in a general sense. Among this older guidance, the following documents describe the history of GCDAMP decisions and direction and help maintain continuity with GCDAMP goals as LTEMP is implemented:
- 2001 Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program draft strategic plan (Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program, 2001),
- 2007 Strategic Science Plan and Strategic Science Questions (SSQs) (U. S. Geological Survey, 2007),
- 2011 draft Core Monitoring Plan (U. S. Geological Survey, 2011), and
- 2012 AMWG Desired Future Conditions.
Monitoring and research themes described in these and other GCDAMP administrative documents have persisted throughout the life of the GCDAMP and are carried forward into the LTEMP. They include:
(1) recovery of the endangered humpback chub (Gila cypha) and maintenance of populations of other native fish;
(2) maintenance or improvement of the physical template, especially regarding fine sediment;
(3) maintenance of culturally important sites, especially those that are of archaeological and historical significance under the National Historic Preservation Act
(4) maintenance of the food base on which the native fish community depends;
(5) maintenance of a high-quality sport fishery in the Lees Ferry reach; and
(6) maintenance of the native riparian vegetation community.
The various goals, questions, information needs, and desired future conditions developed by GCDAMP committees also recognize the importance of maintaining high quality opportunities and conditions for recreational boaters and campers, and the role played by nonnative riparian vegetation in providing habitat for some desired fauna such as the endangered Southwestern willow flycatcher.
Below are science projects associated with GCMRC work plans.
Below are data associated with GCMRC-specific projects.
These data will be updated soon - in progress.
Below are publications associated with research and projects by the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center (GCMRC). Note that not all of the publications listed here are funded under the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program (GCDAMP).
To access all of SBSC's publications, click the link below.
Riparian vegetation response to the March 2008 short-duration, High-Flow Experiment— Implications of timing and frequency of flood disturbance on nonnative plant establishment along the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam
Sandbar response in Marble and Grand Canyons, Arizona, following the 2008 high-flow experiment on the Colorado River
The role of discharge variation in scaling of drainage area and food chain length in rivers
An approach for modeling sediment budgets in supply-limited rivers
Geomorphic response of sandbars to the March 2008 high-flow experiment on the Colorado River downstream from Glen Canyon Dam
2008 Weather and Aeolian Sand-Transport Data from the Colorado River Corridor, Grand Canyon, Arizona
Historical physical and chemical data for water in Lake Powell and from Glen Canyon Dam releases, Utah-Arizona, 1964–2013
Monitoring fine-sediment volume in the Colorado River ecosystem, Arizona: Bathymetric survey techniques
2007 Weather and Aeolian Sand-Transport Data from the Colorado River Corridor, Grand Canyon, Arizona
Abundance Trends and Status of the Little Colorado River Population of Humpback Chub: An Update Considering Data From 1989-2008
Status and trends of the Grand Canyon population of Humpback Chub
Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center
Below are news items about GCMRC's science.
- Overview
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. For more information on the adaptive management process, please see the GCDAMP Page.
Physical ResourcesGCMRC has on-going monitoring and research focused on river sediment dynamics, long-term monitoring of sediment resources in the Colorado River corridor, and understanding the connectivity of sand resources throughout the system.
Biological ResourcesSeveral GCMRC projects focus on understanding the biological processes of the Colorado River, the effect of dam operations on both native and nonnative species, population dynamics of important species, and the terrestrial-biological interactions.
Socio-Economic and CulturalGCMRC is also concerned with understanding the socio-economic values of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, the unique recreational opportunites this environment offers and the cultural significance observed by the Tribal people of this the region.
Administrative History and Guidance That Informs GCMRC Projects
GCMRC'S work plan and science projects align with the needs of the GCDAMP stakeholders. Each project described is organized around monitoring and research themes that are associated with the eleven resource goals identified in the LTEMP ROD: archaeological and cultural resources, natural processes, humpback chub, hydropower and energy, other native fish, recreational experience, sediment, tribal resources, rainbow trout fishery, nonnative invasive species, and riparian vegetation (U.S. Department of the Interior, 2016a; Attachment A).
The monitoring and research projects are responsive to guidance provided in the LTEMP ROD, which, in addition to identifying the priority resources, also identifies flow and non-flow experimental actions and compliance obligations for Glen Canyon Dam operations for the 20 years of the LTEMP. Additional guidance comes from the Science Plan developed by GCMRC (VanderKooi and others, 2017) in support of the LTEMP ROD which describes a general strategy for monitoring and research needed in support of implementation of operations and experimental actions.
Projects in the current TWP have been informed by and build upon previous research and monitoring projects that were responsive to guidance vetted through the GCDAMP and the Secretary of Interior’s office. While the LTEMP ROD defines broad resource goals and identifies new experimental actions and compliance requirements, some of the older guidance continues to have relevance for certain aspects of the current science program and continues to influence current research and monitoring directions in a general sense. Among this older guidance, the following documents describe the history of GCDAMP decisions and direction and help maintain continuity with GCDAMP goals as LTEMP is implemented:
- 2001 Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program draft strategic plan (Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program, 2001),
- 2007 Strategic Science Plan and Strategic Science Questions (SSQs) (U. S. Geological Survey, 2007),
- 2011 draft Core Monitoring Plan (U. S. Geological Survey, 2011), and
- 2012 AMWG Desired Future Conditions.
Monitoring and research themes described in these and other GCDAMP administrative documents have persisted throughout the life of the GCDAMP and are carried forward into the LTEMP. They include:
(1) recovery of the endangered humpback chub (Gila cypha) and maintenance of populations of other native fish;
(2) maintenance or improvement of the physical template, especially regarding fine sediment;
(3) maintenance of culturally important sites, especially those that are of archaeological and historical significance under the National Historic Preservation Act
(4) maintenance of the food base on which the native fish community depends;
(5) maintenance of a high-quality sport fishery in the Lees Ferry reach; and
(6) maintenance of the native riparian vegetation community.
The various goals, questions, information needs, and desired future conditions developed by GCDAMP committees also recognize the importance of maintaining high quality opportunities and conditions for recreational boaters and campers, and the role played by nonnative riparian vegetation in providing habitat for some desired fauna such as the endangered Southwestern willow flycatcher.
- Science
Below are science projects associated with GCMRC work plans.
Filter Total Items: 24 - Data
Below are data associated with GCMRC-specific projects.
These data will be updated soon - in progress.
- Multimedia
- Publications
Below are publications associated with research and projects by the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center (GCMRC). Note that not all of the publications listed here are funded under the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program (GCDAMP).
To access all of SBSC's publications, click the link below.
Filter Total Items: 313Riparian vegetation response to the March 2008 short-duration, High-Flow Experiment— Implications of timing and frequency of flood disturbance on nonnative plant establishment along the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam
Riparian plant communities exhibit various levels of diversity and richness. These communities are affected by flooding and are vulnerable to colonization by nonnative species. Since 1996, a series of three high-flow experiments (HFE), or water releases designed to mimic natural seasonal flooding, have been conducted at Glen Canyon Dam, Ariz., primarily to determine the effectiveness of using highAuthorsBarbara E. RalstonSandbar response in Marble and Grand Canyons, Arizona, following the 2008 high-flow experiment on the Colorado River
A 60-hour release of water at 1,203 cubic meters per second (m3/s) from Glen Canyon Dam in March 2008 provided an opportunity to analyze channel-margin response at discharge levels above the normal, diurnally fluctuating releases for hydropower plant operations. We compare measurements at sandbars and associated campsites along the mainstem Colorado River, downstream from Glen Canyon Dam, at 57 loAuthorsJoseph E. Hazel, Paul E. Grams, John C. Schmidt, Matt KaplinskiThe role of discharge variation in scaling of drainage area and food chain length in rivers
Food chain length (FCL) is a fundamental component of food web structure. Studies in a variety of ecosystems suggest that FCL is determined by energy supply, environmental stability, and/or ecosystem size, but the nature of the relationship between environmental stability and FCL, and the mechanism linking ecosystem size to FCL, remain unclear. Here we show that FCL increases with drainage area anAuthorsJohn L. Sabo, Jacques C. Finlay, Theodore A. Kennedy, David M. PostAn approach for modeling sediment budgets in supply-limited rivers
Reliable predictions of sediment transport and river morphology in response to variations in natural and human-induced drivers are necessary for river engineering and management. Because engineering and management applications may span a wide range of space and time scales, a broad spectrum of modeling approaches has been developed, ranging from suspended-sediment "rating curves" to complex three-AuthorsScott A. Wright, David J. Topping, David M. Rubin, Theodore S. MelisGeomorphic response of sandbars to the March 2008 high-flow experiment on the Colorado River downstream from Glen Canyon Dam
The completion of Glen Canyon Dam in 1963 drastically altered the downstream flow regime and resulted in more than a 90 percent reduction of sand supply to the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park. Sandbars that were maintained by annual floods and a large sediment supply are now fewer in number and smaller in area and volume. Efforts to maintain sandbars in the current era of dam managemeAuthorsPaul E. Grams, Joseph E. Hazel, John C. Schmidt, Matt Kaplinski, Scott A. Wright, David J. Topping, Theodore S. Melis2008 Weather and Aeolian Sand-Transport Data from the Colorado River Corridor, Grand Canyon, Arizona
This report presents measurements of weather parameters and aeolian (windblown) sand transport made in 2008 near selected archaeological sites in the Colorado River corridor through Grand Canyon, Ariz. The quantitative methods and data discussed here form a basis for monitoring ecosystem processes that affect archeological-site stability. Combined with forthcoming work to evaluate landscape evolutAuthorsAmy E. Draut, Hoda A. Sondossi, Joseph E. Hazel, Timothy Andrews, Helen C. Fairley, Christopher R. Brown, Karen M. VanamanHistorical physical and chemical data for water in Lake Powell and from Glen Canyon Dam releases, Utah-Arizona, 1964–2013
This report presents the physical and chemical characteristics of water in Lake Powell and from Glen Canyon Dam releases from 1964 through 2013. These data are available in a several electronic formats. Data have been collected throughout this period by various offices of the Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Geological Survey and are compiled to represent the existing body of chemical and physical iAuthorsWilliam S. VernieuMonitoring fine-sediment volume in the Colorado River ecosystem, Arizona: Bathymetric survey techniques
In 2002, a fine-grained sediment (sand, silt, and clay) monitoring effort was initiated in the Colorado River ecosystem, the river corridor downstream from Glen Canyon Dam, to directly survey channel topography at scales previously unobtainable in this canyon setting. This report presents an overview of the equipment and the methods used to collect and process the high-resolution bathymetric dataAuthorsMatt Kaplinski, Joseph E. Hazel, Rod Parnell, Mike Breedlove, Keith Kohl, Mark Gonzales2007 Weather and Aeolian Sand-Transport Data from the Colorado River Corridor, Grand Canyon, Arizona
Weather data constitute an integral part of ecosystem monitoring in the Colorado River corridor and are particularly valuable for understanding processes of landscape change that contribute to the stability of archeological sites. Data collected in 2007 are reported from nine weather stations in the Colorado River corridor through Grand Canyon, Ariz. The stations were deployed in February and MarcAuthorsAmy E. Draut, Timothy Andrews, Helen C. Fairley, Christopher R. BrownAbundance Trends and Status of the Little Colorado River Population of Humpback Chub: An Update Considering Data From 1989-2008
Mark-recapture methods have been used for the past two decades to assess trends in adult abundance and recruitment of the Little Colorado River (LCR) population of humpback chub. These methods indicate that the adult population declined through the 1980s and early 1990s but has been increasing for the past decade. Recruitment appears also to have increased, particularly in the 2003-4 period. ConsiAuthorsLewis G. Coggins,, Carl J. WaltersStatus and trends of the Grand Canyon population of Humpback Chub
The Colorado River Basin supports one of the most distinctive fish communities in North America, including the federally endangered humpback chub (Gila cypha). One of only six remaining populations of this fish is found in Grand Canyon, Arizona. U.S. Geological Survey scientists and their cooperators are responsible for monitoring the Grand Canyon population. Analysis of recently collected data inAuthorsMatthew E. AndersenGrand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center
The Grand Canyon of the Colorado River, one of the world's most spectacular gorges, is a premier U.S. National Park and a World Heritage Site. The canyon supports a diverse array of distinctive plants and animals and contains cultural resources significant to the region's Native Americans. About 15 miles upstream of Grand Canyon National Park sits Glen Canyon Dam, completed in 1963, which creaAuthorsJohn F. Hamill - Web Tools
- News
Below are news items about GCMRC's science.
Filter Total Items: 14