Colorado river and dams

• Map of the Colorado River Basin
• Glen Canyon Dam
  
• completed in 1963, after about 7 years of construction. Fig Fig
  
• in 1980, Lake Powell was completely full, it took long becuase
  
•  it was necessary to maintain water delivery to the lower basin
• water was lost into the local aquifers
• factsheet for Glen Canyon
  
• effects of building the Glen Canyon dam:
• loss of spectacular places, see photographs
  
• less variability of the discharge rate
• Discharge measurements at Lee's Ferry, downstream of the Glen Canyon Dam
• The Glen Canyon Dam and the Colorado River Through the Grand Canyon
• Hydrograph of the Colorado River at Lee's Ferry
• reduction of floods
• changes in channel morphology
• reduced beaches
• debris jams in tributaries
• lower temperature of the downstream water
• Water temperature of the Colorado River
• lower sediment load -> clearer water
• increased sediment storage
• altered riparian vegetation,
• and declining numbers and quality of spawning grounds for native fish
• changes in fish population
• Experimental Flood on the Colorado River

Resources

• Glen Canyon Institute
• Bureau of Reclamation