Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Program

The Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center (GCMRC), the cornerstone of the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program (AMP), was formally established in October 1996. Located in Flagstaff, AZ, the GCMRC measures effects of Glen Canyon Dam operations on the resources along the Colorado River from Glen Canyon Dam to Lake Mead. The GCMRC's scientific activities contribute to meeting the statutory requirements placed on the Secretary of the Interior by Congress via the 1992 Grand Canyon Protection Act, the 1995 Glen Canyon Dam Environmental Impact Statement, and the 1996 Record of Decision.

The Grand Canyon of the Colorado River.

The GCMRC operates within the Adaptive Management Program to define research objectives and develop monitoring programs that meet information needs of a diverse group of stakeholders, including DOI agencies (Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service), Western Area Power Administration, Colorado River Basin States, Native American Tribes, Colorado River Energy Development Association, recreational users, and environmental organizations. Additionally, Independent Review Panels provide independent assessments of program proposals and accomplishments to ensure scientific objectivity and credibility.

Adaptive management -- A new paradigm for managing our Nation's resources Adaptive management, which has gained widespread acceptance in resource management, is characterized by

• A focus on ecosystems,
• Experimentation and manipulation of managed ecosystems,
• A time scale based on the biological generation or longer,
• Acknowledgement of uncertainty about what policy or practice is best for a particular management issue,
• Careful implementation of a plan of action designed to reveal the critical knowledge,
• Monitoring of key response indicators,
• Analysis of outcomes in consideration of original objectives, and
• Incorporation of results into future decisions.

Adaptive management begins with a set of management objectives and involves a feedback loop between the management action and the effect of that action on the system. It is an iterative process, based on a scientific paradigm that treats management actions as experiments subject to modification, rather than as fixed and final rulings, and uses them to develop an enhanced scientific understanding about whether and how the ecosystem responds to specific management actions.

The process begins with the definition of a series of management objectives defined by stakeholders and managers of the system. Once management objectives have been articulated and agreed to, management actions based on current "state-of-the-science" assessments can be taken to achieve these objectives.

An important interim step in this process is a dialogue among managers, stakeholders, and scientists who are knowledgeable about the system in question. Such a dialogue provides an opportunity for scientists to "reality-test" management objectives. That is, if managers wish to attempt to manage a system for a given outcome that is not feasible, it is important that they understand that at the outset. Experience has demonstrated that such a "scientific reality-testing" of management objectives leads to a better outcomes in the long run. Bridging the culture between scientists, managers, and stakeholders takes commitment and effort.

USGS scientists use sidescan sonar to map the distribution of sand on the bed of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon. Their findings will help determine how best to manage flows from Glen Canyon Dam to help preserve sand bars that serve as camping beaches and wildlife habitats downstream from the dam.

Integrated Science -- Not just a buzz word

The GCMRC is a fully integrated science program that includes expertise in the biological, cultural, and physical sciences. The study of sediment dynamics first produces a predictive model that describes the movement of silt and sand through a narrow channel during various flow regimes. This information is then used to evaluate the impact of more or less sediment on cultural artifacts associated with Indian ruins that have become exposed as a result of accelerated sand exportation from the Canyon since the construction of the Glen Canyon dam. Sediment dynamics also play a key role in beach evolution and the quality of campsites used by more than 50,000 visitors each year.

Additional information about the GCMRC is online at http://www.gcmrc.gov