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GLEN CANYON DAM

TECHNICAL WORK GROUP

OPERATING PROCEDURES

FOREWORD

The Grand Canyon Protection Act (Act) of October 30, 1992, (Public Law 102-575) directs the 

Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to “establish and implement long-term monitoring programs 

and activities that will ensure that Glen Canyon Dam is operated in a manner consistent with that 

of section 1802” of the Act. “The monitoring programs and activities shall be established and 

implemented in consultation with the Secretary of Energy; the Governors of the States of 

Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming; Indian tribes; and the 

general public, including representatives of academic and scientific communities, environmental 

organizations, the recreation industry, and contractors for the purchase of Federal power 

produced at Glen Canyon Dam.” 

In order to comply with the consultation requirement of the Act, the Glen Canyon Dam EIS 

recommended formation of a Federal Advisory Committee and a Technical Work Group. To 

fulfill this requirement the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Work Group (AMWG) was 

established. The AMWG held their first meeting on September 10-11, 1997 and officially 

formed the Glen Canyon Dam Technical Work Group (TWG) as a subgroup. Theis groupTWG

is comprised of technical representatives who representof the various stakeholders on the 

AMWG. The TWG shall comply with Federal Advisory Committee Act (Public Law 92-463). 

Staff resources for the TWG shall be provided by the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and 

GCMRC. Meetings of the TWG are not to be viewed by Federal agencies as meeting their 

government-to-government consultation requirement with participating Tribal entities. 

The TWG shall perform those tasks charged to them by the AMWG. Additional responsibilities 

of the TWG are to develop criteria and standards for monitoring and research programs; provide 

periodic reviews and updates; develop resource management questions for the design of 

monitoring and research administered by the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center

(GCMRC); and provide information, as necessary, for preparing annual resource reports and 

other reports, as required, for the AMWG. As a rule, technical reviews and deliberation will 

occur at the TWG meetings. This technical analysis will help AMWG understand the basis for 

the TWG recommendations and will serve as companion information to the AMWG evaluation 

of policy implications.

The TWG will endeavor to allow every stakeholder participating in the TWG to fully participate 

in the process, believe that they have been heard and understood by the other stakeholders, and 

are satisfied that their points of view are fully considered within the program. These activities 

will result in the generation of improved and constructive recommendations to the Secretary of 

the Interior, and have the potential to produce a more robust involvement and a greater sense of 

enfranchisement on the part of all stakeholders. The TWG will identify opportunities to increase 

dialogue between members. Educating each other about our different perspectives is crucial. The 

purpose of the AMP is to bring together disparate points of view; that is to say that we need to 

understand each other in order to take full advantage of these differences.

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OPERATION

1. Meetings. The TWG will hold meetings quarterly or more frequently as required. This 

includes the use of webinars or other conference calls when appropriate. Where possible 

meetings will be scheduled 3-6 months in advance. Sixteen members (or their alternates) must be 

present at any meeting of the TWG to constitute a quorum. This includes non-voting members 

from DOI in the quorum. Reclamation is responsible for arranging meetings and for other duties 

associated with operation of the TWG. They will arrange for meeting location, provide staff for 

the Chairperson, prepare minutes and Federal Register Notices, and other operational 

requirements of the TWG.

Meetings of the TWG will generally be held in Phoenix, Arizona, to allow for better travel 

accessibility for the members as well as provide greater opportunity for the public to attend. 

However, the Chairperson may decide upon a different location as he/she deems appropriate with 

consultation with Reclamation and input from the members. The Chairperson will draft a 

reminder meeting notice, including a revised agenda, to the TWG members and the staff will 

distribute it at least 10 days prior to the TWG meeting. Meeting format will be in accordance 

with these Operating Procedures.

2. Chairperson. The TWG will elect its own Chairperson from the current membership of the 

TWG (including alternates). The Chairperson shall be elected at the summer meeting of the 

TWG, prior to the start of the fiscal year if possible. The Chairperson will be elected by vote for 

a 1-year term, which will run from October 1 - September 30 of the following year. The 

Chairperson may be re-elected at the end of a term, with no term limitations. The current 

chairperson will serve until the new chairperson takes office. The elected chairperson shall have 

the option of appointing an alternate member to represent the stakeholder at the table for their

term, however, the stakeholder shall have only one vote and is expected to refrain from advocacy 

while their alternate sits at the table. With the recommendation of the TWG, compensation for 

the chairperson may be provided from Adaptive Management Program (AMP) funds. 

Chairperson responsibilities:

Attend all TWG and AMWG meetings when possible.

Represent a neutral position, advocating only for sound science and management actions 

to support the program, all stakeholders, and the public.

Facilitate TWG meetings by leading discussions, arranging for an outside facilitator when 

required, and inviting input from TWG members, technical experts, and the public.

Organize or disband Ad Hoc task groups per TWG direction.

Ensure recognition of consensus or voting on decision items as appropriate, including 

development of minority opinion papers when consensus cannot be reached.
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Present overview of TWG activities and recommendations at AMWG meetings.

3. Reclamation Vice-Chairperson. The Reclamation Vice-Chairperson will assist the 

Chairperson, and will be the Reclamation TWG member or their alternate. They will ensure 

requirements of federal regulations are met and provide assistance to the TWG. Reclamation will 

advise the TWG on which staff person will hold this position.

Reclamation Vice-Chairperson responsibilities include:

Attend all TWG and AMWG meetings when possible. Will preside over the TWG if the 

Chairperson, and TWG Vice-Chairperson, are not available. 

Assist the Chairperson in drafting agendas. Finalize agenda and provide to TWG 10 days

before meeting.

Ensure complete meeting preparations (posting of documents to web site, meeting room, 

audio visual equipment, recording of minutes, etc.).

Assist the chairperson in facilitating the TWG meetings. Help promote participation by 

all TWG members and the public, and assist the Chairperson in achieving consensus on 

action items.

Review and distribute TWG products to AMWG.

4. TWG Vice-Chairperson: The TWG may elect a second vice-chairperson to assist the 

Chairpersonif the Chairperson desires the additional assistance. The TWG Vice-Chairperson

will be elected by a vote of the TWG from its membership or alternates, and will serve for a 1-

year term on the same annual schedule as the Chairperson.

TWG Vice-Chairperson responsibilities include:

Attend all TWG and AMWG meetings when possible. Will preside over the TWG if the 

Chairperson is not available. 

Help the Chairperson prepare a draft agenda for the next meeting.

Help track and coordinate contributions of products for TWG/AMWG review with 

stakeholders, GCMRC, ad hoc groups, and others.

Contact speakers, ad hoc committee chairpersons, and other contributors at least four

weeks before the next TWG meeting to review assignments and determine how much 

time should be allotted for their presentations.

Assist the chairperson in facilitating the TWG meetings. Help promote participation by 

all TWG members and the public, and assist the Chairperson in achieving consensus on 

action items.
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5. Facilitation. The TWG may employ a facilitator for meetings as funds allow and the TWG it 

is deemed by the TWGbelieves it to be helpful. When utilized, the facilitator will work for all 

parties, including but not only the chair, in a process designed to ensure, as much as possible, 

that all interests are heard and considered and all parties can support the outcomes. The 

facilitator will help the TWG to reach consensus whenever possible, and be innovative in using 

methods to help the TWG accomplish this goal.

6. Members. The TWG membership shall consist of one representative named from each 

organization or agency represented in the AMWG. TWG members shall be nominated by their 

AMWG member, or organization, and approved or rejected by the Secretary’s Designee. There 

will be no term limitations as long as the organization maintains membership within the AMWG. 

A list of TWG members will be maintained by Reclamation staff and provided to the AMWG at 

regular meetings and via the Reclamation web site. TWG members should have a technical 

background to sufficiently represent their stakeholder group, to adequately evaluate scientific 

proposals and make technical recommendations to the AMWG. TWG members are expected to 

participate fully to the extent of their abilities and time allows. This includes participation in ad 

hoc groups, participating in discussions at the TWG, and working to find consensus with other 

TWG members on action items.

7. Alternate Members (Alternates). TWG alternates shall be nominated by their AMWG 

member, or organization, and approved or rejected by the Secretary’s Designee. There will be 

no term limitations as long as the organization maintains membership within the AMWG. 

Alternates can fully participate in any TWG ad hoc group meeting, but only 1 vote is provided 

for each TWG organization within the ad hoc. The officially designated alternate, in the absence 

of the member, is allowed to fully participate and vote in TWG meetings without prior 

notification and will be counted in the quorum.

8. Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center (GCMRC). GCMRC will provide technical 

support for the TWG and administer the science program.be the primary science provider. 

GCMRC responsibilities include:

Develop GCMRC planning documents for TWG review including a 5-Year Monitoring and 

Research Plan (MRP), or similar document which describes a long-term vision for the science 

program.

Coordinate, prepare, and distribute high-quality technical reports and publications documenting 

learning and responses to GCDAMP critical questions and uncertainties.

Develop research designs and protocols for implementing monitoring and research identified by 

the AMWG and TWG, including biennial budgets and work plans for TWG review.

Provide annual scientific updates to the TWG for all resources of concern identified in the 

Desired Future Conditions document and in the MRP. Prepare and forward technical 

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management recommendations and annual reports as specified in Section 1804 of the GCPA to 

the TWG.

Integrate traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) into GCMRC’s science program.

9. Agenda. The TWG Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson(s) will work cooperatively to develop 

the TWG agenda, and will include the facilitator and a steering committee as desired. The 

Chairperson will have the lead on drafting the first list of agenda items for discussion. TWG 

members will be asked at the end of each meeting for suggestions of agenda items for future 

meetings. A draft agenda will be sent to TWG members by Reclamation six weeks in advance, 

with a week for members to send in additions or changes to the agenda via email. The revised

TWG agenda will be sent out by Reclamation three weeks in advance of the meeting, and the 

final meeting materials will be available on the TWG web site 10 calendar days in advance of the 

meeting. Agendas will be developed to support the actions requested by AMWG, support 

consensus building, and provide adequate time for discussion of agenda items.

10. Guidelines for Discussions. Members will endeavor to arrive, return from breaks, and 

depart the meeting on schedule. Any person needing to continue private discussions after the 

meeting has been called to order will take their business outside the conference room. Members, 

alternates, and visitors wishing to address the TWG will wait to be recognized by the 

Chairperson or designated discussion leader before speaking. Speakers will make their points 

succinctly and yield the floor to the next speaker, waiting to again be recognized for rebuttals. 

Comments are to be applicable to the topic and not repetitive to presentations, group discussion 

or other comments previously presented. Discussions of new or unrelated business will be 

postponed until the appointed time on the agenda, or future meetings.

11. Voting. The TWG will commit to building consensus. In order to build consensus, it is 

imperative to understand the other members’ points of view and find ways to address everyone’s 

concerns. This involves listening to each other during meetings, and the willingness to commit 

the time to explore avenues to satisfy all the concerns at the table. We recognize that more time 

to explore differences may be uncomfortable for some stakeholders it is crucial for others. 

Agendas will be structured in order to allow for a reasonable time to reach consensus, and will be 

flexible to allow action items to be postponed to a follow-up meeting. Committing to working 

together to build consensus will allow all parties to demonstrate respect for all points of view and 

resolve differences as a group, instead of moving quickly to a vote.

Motions may be made verbally or submitted in writing in advance of the meeting and included 

on the agenda, and must be seconded before discussion. The maker of a motion must clearly and 

concisely state and explain his or her motion, and it must be related to an agenda topic. The 

public will be given opportunity to comment during the discussion period as allowed by the 

Chairperson, generally once all TWG members have had the chance to speak at least once. The 

Chairperson can limit the total time allowed to the public for comments. Comments shall 

address the motion and not be repetitive to presentations, group discussions or other comments

previously presented. The motion must be fully documented for the minutes and restated clearly 

by the Chairperson before the questions is asked, either via consensus or vote.
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All reasonable efforts will be made to bring the group to a consensus decision or 

recommendation, including, for example, formation of ad hoc groups. In the event that

consensus is not possible, a vote should be taken. Voting shall be by verbal indication or by 

raised hand. Approval of a motion requires a simple majority of members present and voting. 

DOI members do not vote on motions and are not counted toward the number voting. Members 

may abstain from voting and are not counted toward the number voting. A majority 

recommendation will go forward along with a minority opinion report (containing the alternate 

recommendation and identification of who constitutes the minority). Ad hoc groups consisting 

of the dissenting members may be formed as needed to prepare minority opinions. Each 

appointed TWG representative is expected to explain and/or clarify issues to their respective 

AMWG member.

Recommendations will be summarized by the Chairperson in a brief report for each AMWG 

meeting, will contain relevant background material on the issues, and will include a brief 

summary of previous discussions related to the issue (e.g., ad hoc group or TWG discussions). 

Reports and recommendations forwarded to the AMWG will be identified as having been 

approved through consensus of the entire TWG, or made by vote with a description of the 

dissenting opinions. The TWG Chairperson may invite a representative of the minority group to 

present the minority opinion to the AMWG.

Dispute Resolution

In a collaborative process, it is inevitable that some issues will never be resolved through 

the normal discussion and deliberation processes. To handle such cases, the TWG will 

use a dispute resolution process that stakeholders may invoke if they feel their views are 

not represented in the proposal being considered. If there are disagreements at a TWG 

meeting, and there is no additional time for discussion, a stakeholder may request a 

caucus with the Chairperson to explore options. The Chairperson may request that a small 

group of stakeholders, representing all points of view, work on the issue and bring a 

recommendation to the full group.

12. Minutes. Detailed minutes of each meeting will be kept by support staff from Reclamation

and reviewed by the facilitator, as appropriate. The minutes will contain a record of persons 

present and a description of pertinent matters discussed, conclusions reached, and actions taken 

on motions including minority opinions. Minutes shall be limited to approximately 5-15 pages

and will not be a complete transcript of the discussions. The corrections and adoption of the 

minutes will be made by a consensus of the TWG at the next meeting. 

13. Public Involvement. All meetings will be open to the public. Interested persons may appear 

in person, or provide written statements to the TWG. Public comments can be on any issue 

related to operation of Glen Canyon Dam. A specific time for public comment will be identified 

in the agenda, usually the last 10 minutes of each day. The Chairperson may allow the public to 

participate in individual agenda items as time allows, and only after TWG members have had a 

chance to speak. Greater consideration will be given to individuals submitting discussion issues 

and/or requesting time in advance of the meeting to the Chairperson. Advance requests for 

presentations to the TWG may be allowed per the Chairperson’s discretion, but speaking time 

may be limited. Written comments will be attached to the meeting minutes if they are identified 
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with the name, address, and affiliation of the provider. Minutes of the TWG meetings and copies 

of reports submitted to the TWG will be maintained for public review at Reclamation’s 

Reclamation web site (www.uc.usbr.gov/amp). 

14. Meeting Materials. TWG members, or others (including GCMRC and Reclamation)

responsible for materials for an upcoming meeting shall forward them to the designated staff, 

including the Chairperson, 15 days in advance of the meeting. Materials may be provided via email or hard copy, although e-mail is preferred. All meeting materials will be posted to the 

Reclamation TWG web site (http://www.usbr.gov/uc/rm/amp/twg/twg_index.html) 10 days prior 

to the meeting. Hard copies of meeting materials generally are not provided to members unless 

specifically requested. Staff, members, and public providing materials for distribution at the 

meeting should bring at least 30 copies. Meeting documents distributed at the meeting are to be 

provided first to the meeting recorder, TWG members and Chairperson, and the GCMRC Chief. 

Copies of all handouts will be placed in a designated location for official visitors and the public. 

If action is anticipated to be taken on or as a result of that material, all reasonable effort will be 

made to provide those materials to the members in advance of the meeting. In the event 

materials are not provided in advance of the meeting for the 10-day posting, action on this topic 

may be delayed at the Chairperson’s discretion. Individuals making presentations at TWG 

meetings shall notify Reclamation support staff of any special audio visual equipment or supply 

needs at least two weeks before the meeting.

A mailing list containing members’ mailing addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers, and e-mail 

addresses, as appropriate, will be maintained and distributed as needed by Reclamation. A copy 

of the roster of TWG members and alternates attending any meeting of the TWG shall be 

attached to the minutes, and shall include a list of all others in attendance.

15. Operation of the TWG. Meeting locations will generally be in Phoenix, AZ. Reclamation

staff will arrange meeting rooms and audio visual equipment, and block a number of hotel guest 

rooms. Meeting rooms will be arranged so that each of the 26 TWG members can be seated 

around the table. Alternates representing an absent TWG member should take their place at the 

table. Additional seating will be provided around the margin or rear of the room for alternates 

who are attending with the member, for visitors and for the general public. When possible side 

tables will be provided for GCMRC staff.

The program will track, in an annual report, the number of times consensus is reached or not 

reached, how often the dispute resolution process was invoked, and the outcomes of the dispute 

resolution process. During retreats or other time set aside for this discussion, TWG should 

consider how to improve the operation of these processes.

16. Ad Hoc Groups and Meetings. Ad hoc groups shall be formed by the Chairperson with 

input from the members, with official membership consisting of TWG members, or their

alternates. The Chairperson shall maintain a list of ad hoc groups, their task, and membership 

with the help of Reclamation staff and provide an update on status of the ad hocs at the 

beginning of each TWG meeting. Ad hoc groups shall be terminated by the Chairperson as soon 

as the assigned task is completed. Ad hoc groups may invite technical advisors outside the TWG 

membership to participate and advise, and in general participation will be encouraged and 
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welcomed. These groups may meet to discuss assignments from the TWG and minutes are 

recommended, but not required. The TWG Chairperson is responsible for overseeing progress of 

all ad hoc groups and the ad hocs shall report on their deliberations and findings to the TWG. 

17. Payment of Travel and Expenses. While engaged in the performance of official business at 

TWG and TWG ad hoc group meetings away from home or their regular places of business, all 

TWG members or TWG sub-group members shall, upon request, be reimbursed for travel 

expenses in accordance with current Federal Travel Regulations. Alternates representing the 

official committee member may also receive compensation for travel expenses. An accounting 

of the expenses for operation of the TWG shall be maintained by Reclamation. 

Approved: XXXXXXXX

Chairperson Date