U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Update on Water Quality 2010 Sand InputGCDAMP TWG Meeting, PhoenixNovember 15-16, 2010

Paul Grams, USGS, Grand Canyon Monitoring anCenter
2010 Water Temperature at Lee

and Diamond Creek (226 mi)

Degrees Celsius
Water Temperature at Lees Fer

Diamond Creek: 2000 to 2010

Degrees Celsius
Turbidity at RM 30: 2005 to 201

FORMAZIN 

NEPHELOMETRIC 

UNITS 

DISCHARGE (CFS)
Turbidity at RM 30: fall 2010
Flux monitoring for managing s

and sandbars Flux monitoring:

 Tracks tributary sediment inputs and 

transport at five locations to track stsediment “bank account.”

 Provides the information needed to 

flows for building sandbars to follow sand accumulation.
Mainstem flow

Mainstem flow and sediment

Tributary flow and sediment

Sediment budget reach

RM 0-30 – upper Marble CanyonRM 30-61 – lower Marble CanyonRM 61-87 – eastern Grand CanyonRM 87-166 – central Grand CanyonRM 166-225 – western Grand Canyon

David ToppingRonald GriffithsThomas Sabol

Nicholas VoichickKaren Vanaman

USGS Sediment Flux Monitoring Grand Canyon 
Preliminary results – subj

-0.4-0.2

0.00.20.40.60.81.0

POST-2008 HFE MASS-BALANCE SAN

BETWEEN RIVER-MILES 0 AN

JAN 2008

MAR 2008

MAY 2008

JUL 2008

SEP 2008

NOV 2008

JAN 2009

MAR 2009

MAY 2009

JUL 2009

SEP 2009

NOV 2009

WATER DISCHARGEMASS-BALANCE UNCERTAINTY E

SAND MASS IN REACH RELATIVE TO AFTER

RECESSION OF MARCH 2008 HFE (million metric tons)

ACCUMULATION

EROSION

Sand budget 

likely slightly positive for period

owing to recent Paria River floods

Sand budget from end of 2008 

August 17, 2010 
Sand update: October 15, 2

 Since July 1, 2010, 

 Between 1.2 and 1.7 million metric tons of sand f Over 500,000 metric tons of sand from the Little C

 The mass balance starting with the end of t

negative until August 15, 2010 in upper Ma

 The mass balance in upper Marble Canyon 

positive from August 15 to October 15, 201

 All monitoring reaches between Lees Ferry 

Creek had a positive mass balance as of O

Preliminary results – subj
Comparison of 2010 sand accu

with accumulation leading up t2008 high flows

Reach July 1 2004 to 

2004 HFE

End of 2004 

HFE to start of 

2008 HFE

RM 0 to 30 0.4 ± 0.1 1.2 ± 0.6 RM 30 to 61 0.1 ± 0.05 0.5 ± 0.3 

RM 61 to 87 0.0 ± 0.05 0.8 ± 0.7 

RM 87 to 225 0.2 ± 0.1 0.9 ± 0.4 All values in million metric tons.*Budget was negative until August 15, 2010.** Values are preliminary and uncertainty has not yet be

Preliminary results – subj
Preliminary results – subj

-0.4-0.2

0.00.20.40.60.81.0

POST-2008 HFE MASS-BALANCE SAN

BETWEEN RIVER-MILES 0 AN

JAN 2008

MAR 2008

MAY 2008

JUL 2008

SEP 2008

NOV 2008

JAN 2009

MAR 2009

MAY 2009

JUL 2009

SEP 2009

NOV 2009

WATER DISCHARGEMASS-BALANCE UNCERTAINTY E

SAND MASS IN REACH RELATIVE TO AFTER

RECESSION OF MARCH 2008 HFE (million metric tons)

ACCUMULATION

EROSION

Sand budget 

likely slightly positive for period

owing to recent Paria River floods

Transition from fall steady to winte

flows will increase the rate of san

2009 tra
Summary

 Water temperature at Lees Ferry and Diam

is about average.

 Turbidity in Marble Canyon has been rela There has been above average sand inpu

through October, with sufficient retention flow in fall 2010 of 45,000 cfs magnitude aduration.

 Winter fluctuating flows (currently 9,000 t

cfs) will export sand.

Preliminary results – subj