Feds to flood Grand Canyon to distribute sediment
PAGE, Ariz. — Campsites along the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon will be in shorter supply as federal officials flood the waterway.
The high-flow release from Glen Canyon Dam in northern Arizona is scheduled to start Monday and end Friday. It’s the third under an innovative science-based experimental plan approved in May 2012.
Tons of sediment from river channels will be re-deposited along downstream reaches as sandbars and beaches along the river. Grand Canyon officials said most campsites will be smaller and some low-lying sites might not be usable.
Most of the sediment once deposited throughout the Grand Canyon now is trapped behind the dam near the Arizona-Utah border. The intent of the flooding is to mimic pre-dam conditions.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department said the release should enhance trout fishing.
