US Gov. to Flood Grand Canyon – Ecosystem or Power?
“I survived the Grand Canyon Floods, and all I got was this stupid T shirt”
The US government will be flooding the Grand Canyon this week. They claim the following:
The Colorado River downstream used to be warm and muddy, but now it’s cold and clear. The shift helped speed the extinction of four fish species and push two others, including the endangered humpback chub, near the edge.
Officials hope the flooding will stir up sediment and redistribute it through the canyon.
But, according to a report the LA times:
The U.S. Geological Survey acknowledged the floods had been timed in part to maximize power generation during peak demand.
Martin said he and his staff had been “assured” this week that they would be allowed to discuss additional releases, including the possibility of flooding during summer months.
Sounds suspiciously less like helping an ecosystem back to its feet, and more like, “Hey, lets see if we can more power out of this here machine.” What do you think?
