Shannon L. Sartain
Shannon Sartain is a hydrologist at SBSC's Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center studying the response of Colorado River sediment resources in the Grand Canyon to Glen Canyon Dam management.
At the Southwest Biological Science Center's Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center, I study how river sediment resources including sandbars and riverbed sediment in the Grand Canyon are affected by Glen Canyon Dam management. The work of my team involves surveying sediment conditions using a variety of methods such as traditional total station surveys, multibeam sonar to map riverbed bathymetry, and terrestrial lidar scans. The results of our sediment studies, many of which are decades-long monitoring projects, provide critical scientific results to the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program to support decisions on Glen Canyon Dam operations.
In addition to research in Grand Canyon National Park, I also conduct sediment studies in the greater Colorado River Basin in Dinosaur National Monument, Canyonlands National Park, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, including the delta of Lake Powell, and Lake Mead National Recreation Area, including the delta of Lake Mead.
Lastly, I am passionate about sharing my research and personal experiences in the Grand Canyon with communities beyond my collaborators. I participate in outreach activities with organizations such as Grand Canyon Youth, the Flagstaff Festival of Science, Grand Canyon River Guides, the USGS Office of Tribal Relations, and the USGS Office of Youth and Education in Science.