United States Department of the Interior 

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

SOUTHWEST BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE CENTER

GRAND CANYON MONITORING AND RESEARCH CENTER

2255 NORTH GEMINI DRIVE, MS-9394 

FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA 86001

928 556-7094 Telephone

928 556-7092 Fax

March 3, 2010 

MEMORANDUM 

To: Technical Work Group 

From: John Hamill, Chief, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center, Southwest 

 Biological Science Center, US Geological Survey, Flagstaff, Arizona 

Subject: Preliminary Fiscal Year 2011-12 Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program 

 Budget

Attached is the subject preliminary draft budget for your consideration. The draft budget was 

developed based on guidance provided in the: 

• Monitoring and Research Plan (MRP) to Support the Glen Canyon Dam (GCD) Adaptive 

Management Program (AMP) which was approved by the Adaptive Management Work 

Group (AMWG) in August 2007, and 

• The March 2008 Environmental Assessment (EA) and related Conservation Measures 

included in the Fish and Wildlife Service Biological Opinion (BO) on the operation of 

GCD. 

In addition, GCMRC considered input from the TWG provided at the GCMRC annual reporting 

meeting held in January 2010. 

 

The proposed budget provides for the continued implementation of a number of ongoing projects 

included in the approved FY10/11 Work Plan and Budget. 

The following fiscal assumptions were made in the development of the budgets: 

• No carryover funds from FY10 due to expiring BOR agreement (06AA402439) 

• 0% CPI increase in the FY11 budget over the FY10 budget 

• 3% CPI increase in the FY12 budget over the FY11 budget 

• Salaries increase based on expected OPM salary tables for FY11 and FY12; most other 

expenses increase by 5% 

• BOR contributes $493,500 to experimental fund in FY11 and $508,305 in FY12 

 In FY10 and FY11, $166,000 each year and in FY12 $72,600 is drawn from the 

experimental fund to support increased logistics costs for the near-shore ecology 

project. However, it is anticipated that some or all of these costs will be covered by 
appropriated funds. If this occurs, these funds would remain in the experimental fund 

and be available for possible HFE’s in FY11 or FY12. 

 Projected experimental fund balance at end of each year: 

 FY10: $147,992 ($313,992 if NSE logistics are covered by other source) 

 FY11: $29,943 ($361,943 if NSE logistics are covered by other source) 

 FY12: $239,044 ($543,644 if NSE logistics are covered by other source) 

 See experimental fund summary in attached budget for details. 

• Alternative funding sources should be sought the following 2 ongoing management 

actions beginning in FY12: See deferred projects – management actions. 

 HBC translocation above Chute Falls BIO 2.M3.11 

 Mainstem NonNative Fish Control (aka: Mechanical trout removal) BIO 2.R16.11 

The budget also generally assumes that individual core monitoring plans will be approved 

according to the process defined in the MRP or the General Core Monitoring Plan, as revised 

(including AMP committee review and approval by the Secretary). 

General descriptions of each of the ongoing projects can be found in the MRP; more detailed 

descriptions are contained in the FY 2010-11 AMP Work Plan and Budget. The primary work 

elements of each project, including major changes, are listed in the attached project summary 

table. 

To achieve a balanced budget, a number of projects had to be scaled back or deferred to 

accommodate the budget shortfall incurred by the FY10 negative 1.3% CPI adjustment and the 

anticipated FY11 0% CPI adjustment. There are approximately $2.6 million and $2.8 million in 

deferred projects or project components in FY11 and FY12, respectively. These deferments and 

other adjustments are noted in the attached budget. 

After considering recommendations from the TWG, AMWG and DOI agencies, GCMRC, 

consistent with our established process, will develop detailed work plans for each of the projects 

that will be submitted to the Budget Ad hoc Group, TWG and AMWG for final review and 

consideration. 

Your participation in this review process is appreciated. 

JOHN HAMILL 

Chief, GCMRC 

Attachments: (FY11-12 Project Summary Table FY11-12 Preliminary Budget) 

cc: Secretary’s Designee 
FY11-12 Project Summary Table 

Project FY11 Comments FY12 Comments 

1. Food Base 

Focus on completion of research, 

reports, PEP review, and 

development of core monitoring 

plan; All field sampling deferred 

Implementation of core monitoring 

plan subject to approval 

2. Native Fishes 

Mainstem & LCR Monitoring Repeat FY10 monitoring, revise 

based on analysis of PEP 

recommendations; Defer increased 

mainstem monitoring 

Repeat FY10 monitoring, revise 

based on analysis of PEP 

recommendations; Defer increased 

mainstem monitoring 

HBC Translocation & 

Monitoring 

Monitor HBC status above Chute 

Falls; Defer translocation 

Project deferred; Assumes 

monitoring HBC status above Chute 

Falls and HBC translocation will be 

funded with an alternative funding 

source 

Stock Assessment of Native 

Fish 

Continued analysis of fish stock 

data; Complete & publish ASMR 

analysis 

Continued analysis of fish stock 

data; No ASMR 

Remote PIT Tag Reading Operate & maintain equipment and 

analyze data; Defer expansion of 

the system 

Operate & maintain equipment and 

analyze data; Defer expansion of 

the system 

Near Shore Ecology Implement project per work plan; 

Increase logistics funding 

Implement project per work plan; 

Field work ends in October, 2011; 

Increase logistics funding for 

October river trip 

Mainstem Nonnative Fish 

Control 

Implement one LCR control trip 

(experimental fund); Defer 2nd trip 

Project deferred; Provide alternative 

funding source for 1 to 6 removal 

trips near LCR at $150k per trip (as 

needed) 

Nonnative Control Plan 

Science Support 

Implement priority research & 

monitoring recommendations; 

Reduce staff support by 25% 

Implement priority research & 

monitoring recommendations; 

Maintain FY11 staff support level 

NEW Evaluation of Trout 

Movement, Natal Origins 

and Alternatives for 

Controlling Rainbow Trout 

Populations Near the LCR 

Implement priority research 

projects within available budget 

(experimental fund) 

Implement priority research projects 

within available budget 

(experimental fund) 

Biometrics & General 

Analysis (Vice Coggins) 

ASMR / modeling support Deferred due to lack of funding 

3. Extirpated Species 

No funded projects No funded projects 

4. Rainbow Trout 

Continue adult RBT monitoring; Continue adult RBT monitoring; 
Project FY11 Comments FY12 Comments 

Defer monitoring of early life stages 

unless HFE is conducted (subject 

to available funds) 

Defer monitoring of early life stages 

unless HFE is conducted (subject to 

available funds) 

5. Kanab Ambersnail Continue annual monitoring Continue annual monitoring 

6. Springs / Riparian Implement vegetation transect 

monitoring (assumes approval of 

core monitoring plan); Analyze 

2009 imagery for vegetation 

change 

Analyze 2009 imagery; Defer bird 

and/or arthropod monitoring 

7. Quality of Water 

Lake Powell & Tailwaters Continue monitoring; PEP review; 

Increase emphasis on analysis and 

modeling 

Continue monitoring; Implement 

PEP findings; Increase emphasis on 

analysis and modeling 

Downstream Continue monitoring flow, 

temperature and sediment, etc.; 

PEP review 

Continue monitoring flow, 

temperature and sediment, etc.; 

Implement PEP findings 

Integrated Flow, 

Temperature & Sediment 

Modeling 

Operate & maintain models; Defer 

further development 

Operate & maintain models; Defer 

further development 

8. Sediment

Evaluate channel mapping results; 

Additional mapping contingent on 

findings; Monitor sandbars area & 

volume 

Resume channel mapping 

(contingent on FY11 findings & 

recommendations) 

9. Recreation

Conduct biennial campsite 

monitoring; Continue river guide 

monitoring; Analyze campsite atlas 

data as part of integrated image 

analysis project; Update & maintain 

campsite atlas on website 

Camp area field monitoring does not 

resume until FY13; Continue river 

guide monitoring; Analyze campsite 

atlas data as part of integrated 

image analysis project; Update & 

maintain campsite atlas on website; 

Campsite PEP review 

10. Hydropower 

Serve data via website; Annual 

report 

Serve data via website; Annual 

report 

11. Cultural 

Implement pilot monitoring with 

reduced scope (fewer sites, etc), 

which may extend length of project 

Implement pilot monitoring with 

reduced scope (fewer sites, etc), 

which may extend length of project 

12. DASA 

Overflights Contribute $71k to overflight fund Contribute $129k to overflight fund 

Oracle Database Update & maintain database Update & maintain database 

Library Operations / 

Scanning 

Maintain GCMRC library reduced 

to 1⁄2 time position; Defer online 

library system 

Maintain GCMRC library reduced to 

1⁄2 time position; Defer online library 

system 
Project FY11 Comments FY12 Comments 

GIS Support Provide GIS support to GCMRC 

projects; Defer hiring term 

appointment (use student) 

Provide GIS support to GCMRC 

projects; Defer hiring term 

appointment (use student) 

Integrated Image Analysis & 

Change Detection 

Coordinate analysis of 2009 

imagery; Map & analyze sandbars, 

campsites, backwaters & 

vegetation 

Final reporting of 2009 imagery; 

Plan for 2013 overflight 

12. Planning 

Ecosystem Modeling Working with senior ecologist, 

continue to update & refine 

ecosystem models, focusing on 

aquatic resources; Defer model 

expansion, publication of results, & 

MATA workshop 

Working with senior ecologist, 

continue to update & refine 

ecosystem models, focusing on 

aquatic resources; Defer model 

expansion, publication of results, & 

MATA workshop 

Knowledge Assessment & 

SCORE Report 

Complete KA & initiate S.C.O.R.E. 

report 

Finalize S.C.O.R.E. report 

NEW Desired Future 

Conditions (DFCs) 

Deferred due to lack of funding Provides $50k for facilitation & 

decision support to develop 

quantitative DFCs; Assumes 

matching funds from Reclamation’s 

portion of budget 

12. Support 

Logistics Base Provide base logistics support to 

field operations 

Provide base logistics support to 

field operations 

Survey & Control Network Provide survey support to GCMRC 

projects (through contract); 

Maintain & expand network as 

needed 

Provide survey support to GCMRC 

projects (through contract); Maintain 

& expand network as needed 

12. Administrative 

Operations Continue to provide administrative 

support 

Continue to provide administrative 

support 

Program Planning & 

Management 

Continue to provide planning & 

management support 

Continue to provide planning & 

management support 

AMWG/TWG Travel Continue to provide funding to 

attend AMWG & TWG meetings 

Continue to provide funding to 

attend AMWG & TWG meetings 

Independent Reviews Peer review all publications; 

Integrated Water Quality and Food 

Base PEP & KAS PEP 

Peer review all publications; 

Campsite & Sediment PEPs 

Science Advisors Maintain current SA support Maintain current SA support 

Computer Systems Support Maintain IT support for GCMRC Maintain IT support for GCMRC 

Synthesis of High Flow 

Experiment 

Complete HFE synthesis by 

01/01/11