Along the Colorado, however, the small, sudden releases used to generate hydroelectric power actually eroded sand from the banks into the river channel. The radical water level fluctuations also exposed and dried out plants living on the river bottom. This in turn depleted an important food source for the fish in the river. The experimental flood redeposited sediment on the riverbanks. It also created backwaters, channels of water that tend to stay warmer than the main river waters.
Backwaters also serve as excellent habitats for young fish.
Even the river rafting industry benefited by the rise of beaches suitable for camping. Further south, another river may soon get a dousing as well. Pat Shafroth is a doctoral student in botany at ASU and a National Biological Service employee. He studies the ecology of the Bill Williams River, which is obstructed by the Alamo Dam. A large portion of the land below the dam is managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the Fish and Wildlife Service, both of which strive to promote healthy wildlife habitats.