class goal:
to get to know some geology, ecology, and management issues of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon.
- length of the river: approximately 1400 miles
- seven states and Mexico
- watershed area: 246,000 square miles
- population served by Colorado River water: nearly 25 million
- historic yearly flows: from a high of nearly 24 million acre-feet - to a low of some 5 million acre-feet
topics to be explored:
topic 1: management
- management of the Colorado River for multiple objectives
- adaptive management of Glen Canyon Dam to support native species, recreation (including non-native sport fishery), hydropower and water supply
topic 2: the big picture
- the complexities of management today are, in part, a function of the Grand Canyon and Colorado River
- a "Big History" analysis will link events in deep time to management challenges today