The federal government ok’d two long-term research projects today on the Colorado River.
They will continue to release water from Glen Canyon Dam and attempt to boost native fish populations.
For almost 50 years the dam has blocked most of the sediment from the CoIorado River from flowing downstream. And that’s had an impact on native fish. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar told reporters that scientists can now release water from the dam to mimic natural floods on a regular basis. They will also try to remove non native predators from the river.
"These decisions represent the most important experimental modification of operations of Arizona’s Glen Canyon Dam over a very very long time," said Secretary Salazar.
Salazar assured the millions of people who rely on water and electricity from the dam that the flows will depend on water availability.