Efforts to Protect Colorado River’s Native Fish Gain Momentum
In a bid to protect the native aquatic species of the Colorado River, federal agencies have completed a significant project around Glen Canyon Dam. This endeavor focused on clearing a side channel that had become a hotspot for nonnative fish species.
The 12-mile slough, located within the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, is primarily a shallow and isolated part of the river. Since March, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, in collaboration with the National Park Service, has been engaged in a project to link this area back to the main river channel. By reintroducing colder, faster-flowing water, authorities aim to create conditions less favorable for the breeding of nonnative fish.
The primary concern centers around the smallmouth bass, a predatory species that threatens the river’s native and endangered fish populations. In addition to the slough project, federal plans include adjusting water releases from Glen Canyon Dam to incorporate colder water, further discouraging the proliferation of nonnative species.
However, the construction activities have had some trade-offs. This year’s initiative to release artificial floods in the spring, designed to help restore eroding sandbars in the Grand Canyon, was put on hold due to the ongoing work in the slough.
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