Most people take in the Grand Canyon in from its rim, where the awe-inspiring view has earned its listing as one of the natural wonders of the world. Hidden from sight, at the heart of the canyon, is the river that helped carve it.
The Colorado River began shaping the Grand Canyon some 20 million years ago, transforming the landscape with a mile-deep canyon that stretches for hundreds of miles. The Grand Canyon may be the greatest masterpiece a river has wrought, but the river is now a shadow of its former self.
To really see the Colorado River, you need to hike 6,000 feet down into the canyon on steep, craggy rocks. When you finally reach its banks, you’ll find a river that has been fundamentally changed. It’s slower, colder, and missing most of its native fish.
This is largely due to the Glen Canyon Dam, located 100 miles upstream from the canyon’s most popular viewing areas. Completed in 1963, it was one of the last huge dams built in this country. To operate, it draws water from the icy depths of Lake Powell, the second largest reservoir in the United States.
Since the dam’s construction, half of the fish native to the Grand Canyon ecosystem have disappeared. Two of the remaining species are threatened and one, the charismatic humpback chub, is federally endangered.
The Colorado River is one of America’s great rivers, and the Grand Canyon National Park is a national treasure. Intelligent river management, including dam operations informed by conservation science, is needed to revive this fragile, damaged ecosystem.
Photo, taken on March 16, 2011, courtesy of Mark via Flickr.