Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt signed a historic
record of decision Oct. 9 that aims to protect the Colorado River
and the Grand Canyon. The new rule calls for regulating flow rates
from Glen Canyon Dam to minimize erosion and unnatural water-level
fluctuations, and it makes Glen Canyon the first hydroelectric dam
mandated to generate power under environmental criteria.
Babbitt also released the results of the
experimental flood from the dam during March 1995. The flooding was
intended to mimic natural patterns of the river in Grand Canyon and
restore habitat below the dam. According to the report, the
experiment successfully rebuilt sandbanks along the river, created
82 new beaches and dredged out backwater habitats for native
endangered fish. While it also widened several major rapids, the
flooding did not damage trout populations or the canyon’s cultural
artifacts.
For more information on the record of
decision or for a copy of the scientific report, contact Paul
Bledsoe at the Interior Department, Bureau of Reclamation, 1849 C
St. NW, Washington, DC 20240 (202/208-4662).
*Katie Fesus
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Power is no longer everything.
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