The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is taking public comment on a proposal to disrupt the spawning of a nonnative fish in the Grand Canyon by releasing spikes of cool water from Glen Canyon Dam. Many in the Colorado River community want a wider range of options.
Smallmouth bass are a predatory fish that pose a threat to the native humpback chub. Previously federal water officials considered installing a physical barrier to stop the fish from slipping through the dam, but that wasn’t up for consideration in the recent proposal. Some want it back on the table.
Taylor McKinnon of the Center for Biological Diversity says he’s “cautiously optimistic” that cool spikes will help, but "what the agencies haven’t done, and this is something that we’re very concerned about, is they haven’t gone about preventing the bass from entering the Grand Canyon in the first place."
Meanwhile, hydropower users worry that the cool water releases will diminish power production. Jerry Wilhite is an environmental protection specialist for the Western Area Power Administration.
"There’s just a lot of uncertainty at this point, so I think most of our concerns are based in that uncertainty," Wilhite says. "How will this be implemented? To what extent will it impact the hydropower resource?"
Wilhite also calls for long-term, permanent solutions to keep smallmouth bass from entering the Grand Canyon. He says the cool spikes of water shouldn’t be the only tool available.
Read more:
Download the 2024 Environmental Impact Statement. Public comment closes on June 30 and the Record of Decision is expected in July.
The US Bureau of Reclamation’s 2022 report on “Glen Canyon Dam Fish Escapement Options.”
