Effect of Glen Canyon Dam on the Temperature Regime of Colorado River

Abstract: Temperature of an aquatic body is a crucial factor which affects, vertical mixing, dissolved oxygen, and most of biological and biochemical processes. The natural temperature fluctuation in the Colorado River in the Northern Arizona altered after construction of Glen Canyon Dam due to hypolimnetic withdrawal from the Dam's reservoir, Lake Powell. Several managerial remedies were considered to modify the tail-water temperature to preserve native fish habitat. In this review, I discuss the basics governing equations of heat transport in water. Then I provide the characteristics of the pre/post dam, time-series of temperature downstream of Lake Powell. Finally I discuss a simplified model which was suggested to predict water temperature in the Colorado River, downstream of the Glen Canyon Dam.