Memorandum for the Record

To: Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program, Technical Work Group

From: Michael Moran, Deputy Chief, USGS Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center

Date: June 13, 2018

The US Geological Survey’s Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center (GCMRC) held a 

review of its water-quality program on October 24-26, 2017. The GCMRC periodically 

convenes independent review panels to assess the quality, comprehensiveness, and the 

need for its various research and monitoring programs. The purpose of this review was to 

examine the science work conducted under GCMRC’s water-quality program.

A panel of five recognized experts in water-quality, limnology, and aquatic ecology served 

as the review team. The panel was provided with a prospectus that outlined GCMRC’s 

ongoing water quality monitoring program, stated the purpose of the review, identified key 

questions to be addressed, and provided a list of recommended papers and reports for the 

panel to read ahead of the review (see attached prospectus). Scientists from the GCMRC 

who conduct water-quality monitoring and research attended the review to provide 

descriptions of their research and methods, demonstrate field sampling protocols, and 

respond to questions from the review team. Other attendees included stakeholders from 

the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program, scientific colleagues, water-resource 

managers, and interested members of the public.

The review consisted of presentations, field trips, discussion sessions, and a final panel 

review (see attached agenda). Presentations on past and ongoing water-quality monitoring 

work on Lake Powell as well as an overview of some of the results of that work were given. 

In addition, there were discussions of water-quality monitoring in Lake Powell as it relates 

to current research on nutrients in the aquatic ecosystem downstream of Glen Canyon 

Dam. The review group also heard from speakers on topics such as dam operations, waterquality modeling, and aquatic ecology.

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 86001-1600

928 556-7094 Telephone

928 556-7100 Fax
Several field trips were conducted to observe field water-quality methods and procedures 

and representative sampling sites. The field trips included: 1) a trip to Lake Powell to 

examine water-quality sampling techniques at the Wahweap station, 2) a tour of Glen 

Canyon Dam to observe water-quality monitoring within the dam, and 3) a trip on the 

Colorado River downstream from the Glen Canyon Dam to observe other water-quality and 

aquatic ecosystem sampling sites.

A final report summarizing the conclusions and recommendations of the expert panel was 

received by the GCMRC on June 4, 2018 (see attached report). The report identifies areas 

where the panel believes the water-quality program can be improved and provides indepth answers to the questions posed by GCMRC in the review prospectus. The 

recommendations of the panel will significantly improve the scientific quality, relevance, 

and direction of GCMRC’s water-quality program.