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I believe there are exciting opportunities to achieve further success as we move the discussion of 

this effort, and other elements of the Adaptive Management Program, toward more permanent 

management actions. 

In order to help focus our efforts, particularly during our upcoming AMWG meetings, I am 

committed to be actively involved in setting and carrying out the agendas. Based on my experience 

at the March AMWG meeting, it is my expectation and goal that the limited time of the AMWG be 

focused and prioritized on the pending broader and longer-term issues facing the Program. 

I recognize that since our March meeting, the Science Planning Group (SPG) and TWG members 

have worked to develop and refine various options that could be forwarded to the Secretary as 

recommendations following consideration by the full AMWG. My sense is that the difficulty of 

arriving at a single, obvious approach reflects the complexity of the Colorado River/Glen Canyon 

Dam system, the potential solutions, and the competing views of the AMWG members. 

As efforts proceed to evaluate recommendations on Glen Canyon Operations, I would like to ask 

that the SPG focus additional consideration on two areas that should be incorporated within the 

input and recommendations from the AMWG to the Department. 

First, I would ask that the SPG consider a longer-term horizon for a long-term science and 

operational strategy, perhaps as long as 25 years. In addition, I would like to ask that the SPG 

integrate the concepts of construction, operation, and assessment of a temperature-control device 

(TCD) into this long-term plan. The recent warming trend in dam release water associated with 

drought conditions in the Colorado River Basin suggest the potential benefits that could be 

associated with committed development of a credible and collaborative plan to fund, construct, 

operate and assess TCD implementation. This concept deserves consideration by the SPG in the 

next few months and ultimately by the full AMWG in October. 

In light of this additional direction to the SPG and TWG, I will conduct an August AMWG meeting 

via conference call, with the Agenda focused only on a recommendation for a FY 2007 hydrograph, 

budget, and workplan. Given the transitional nature of the FY 2007 year, the expectation that it will 

be an 8.23 maf annual release, and the limited time to complete additional environmental 

compliance before initiation, we anticipate the 2007 recommendation will be similar to those 

conveyed to the Secretary in recent years. 

In addition to the August conference call, I will convene a full meeting of the AMWG in October, 

thereby allowing sufficient time for the SPG and TWG processes to come to conclusion. I would 

like to see the October meeting reserve sufficient time to consider ongoing efforts regarding 

development of a recovery program for the humpback chub in the Grand Canyon, development of a 

process for determining when experimental actions should become long-term management actions - 

such as non-native fish removal, as well as consideration of the GCMRC’s Strategic Science Plan 

and Monitoring Research Plan. 

I will soon distribute a draft agenda for the upcoming August and October meetings. These agendas 

will focus on the areas that I have identified above. My hope is that by improving our management 

approach for the Adaptive Management Program processes, by focusing on a long-term science 

plan, by considering construction of a TCD, and by evaluating the potential for a long-term 
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recovery program, the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program will continue to move in 

a positive direction. 

Lastly, as you all are well aware, the Department is currently involved in litigation regarding the 

operation of Glen Canyon Dam and issues that are directly addressed by the AMWG. I would like 

to inform you that the Department is currently involved in preliminary settlement discussions with 

the plaintiffs in the suit, including the Center for Biological Diversity. In these efforts, the United 

States’ representatives have made it clear that the AMWG makes recommendations to the Secretary 

regarding operation of Glen Canyon Dam and other associated management actions, and the 

AMWG’s role must not be affected either by the conduct of the ongoing litigation, or in any 

potential litigation settlement. 

I thank you for your continued dedication to this program, and I look forward to working with you 

on these important efforts in the years to come. 

cc: Rick Gold, Alternate Secretary’s Designee 

 Tom Weimer, Assistant Secretary - Policy, Management and Budget 

 Matthew J. Hogan, Acting Assistant Secretary - Fish, Wildlife and Parks 

 Jim Cason, Acting Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs 

 Dale Hall, Director, Fish and Wildlife Service 

 Jason Peltier, Deputy Assistant Secretary - Water and Science 

 Tim Petty, Deputy Assistant Secretary - Water and Science 

 Mike Olsen, Acting Principle Deputy Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs 

 Steve Martin, Deputy Director, National Park Service 

 Bill Rinne, Acting Commissioner 

 Brenda Burman, Deputy Commissioner, External and Intergovernmental Affairs 

 John Hamill, Chief, Glen Canyon Monitoring and Research Center 

 Kurt Dongoske, Chair, Technical Work Group 

 Dave Garrett, Chair, Science Planning Group 

 Mary Orton, Facilitator, Adaptive Management Work Group