Billions of gallons of water have been flushed into the Grand Canyon in an attempt to restore the ecosystem to a more natural state. The process began yesterday under the instruction of US federal officials, and will last for around 60 hours.
Although the move is experimental, it is hoped the flooding will create new sandbars and habitats for native fish such as the “humpback chub”.
Water is been flushed from the Glen Canyon Dam at a rate of 300,000 gallons per second, and it is estimated that the usual flow of water from the dam could increase by up to 5 times.
“This gives you a glimpse of what nature has been doing for millions of years, cutting through and creating this magnificent canyon” said Dirk Kempthorne, Interior Secretary.
After construction in 1963, the seasonal floods of the Colorado River were halted by the dam. This would stop the spread of sediment throughout the river downstream, resulting in the disruption of a number of different habitats and ecosystems. As a direct result, two species of fish became extinct, with another two becoming endangered species.
Over the coming weeks and months, scientists will be conducting research into the effects of the flooding, deciding whether or not this process is a viable strategy for creating sandbars and habitats for native species of fish.
The governments management of the Glen Canyon Dam has often been criticized by environmentalists from the Grand Canyon Trust, and they believe more can be done to help protect habitats and ecosystems threatened by the dam.
The main purpose of the Glen Canyon Dam is to provide water storage for the south western states of the U.S.A, and to generate electricity to support a growing population.
The problems caused by the Glen Canyon Dam can also be found at a wide range of other hydroelectric dams across the globe. This just highlights the effects a damn can have on habitats and ecosystems not only downstream, but also upstream.
very interesting concept!