Federal agencies have finished digging out a side channel below Glen Canyon Dam that's been a breeding ground for nonnative fish.
The -12 mile slough is a shallow, mostly disconnected part of the Colorado River in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Since March, officials with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and National Park Service have worked to reconnect it to the main channel to bring in colder, faster water. That should discourage nonnative species from breeding there.
Smallmouth bass is a particular concern. It’s a predatory fish that poses a threat to native, endangered species in the river.
Federal officials also have plans to tweak releases from Glen Canyon Dam and introduce colder water to discourage nonnative fish.
But, a different program to release springtime artificial floods that help rebuild eroding sandbars in the Grand Canyon was cancelled this year, with officials citing the slough construction work as the reason.
