Fact Sheet 2013–3104
AbstractSince the completion of Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona, in 1963, downstream water temperatures in the main channel of the Colorado River in Glen, Marble, and Grand Canyons are much colder in summer. This has negatively affected humpback chub (Gila cypha) and other native fish adapted to seasonally warm water, reducing main-channel spawning activity and impeding the growth and development of larval and juvenile fish. Recently published studies by U.S. Geological Survey scientists found that under certain conditions some isolated nearshore environments in Grand Canyon allow water to separate from the main-channel current and to warm, potentially providing refuge areas for the development of larval and juvenile fish. |
First posted November 25, 2013 For additional information, contact: Part or all of this report is presented in Portable Document Format (PDF). For best results viewing and printing PDF documents, it is recommended that you download the documents to your computer and open them with Adobe Reader. PDF documents opened from your browser may not display or print as intended. Download the latest version of Adobe Reader, free of charge. |
Ross, R.P., and Vernieu, W.S., 2013, Nearshore Temperature Findings for the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, Arizona—Possible Implications for Native Fish: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2013-3104, 4 p., https://dx.doi.org/10.3133/fs20133104.
ISSN 2327–6932 (online)