Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 26.5
(
Continued
)
Environmental Impact
Statement prediction (1995)
Resource
Status (2009)
CULTURAL RESOURCES
Archaeological sites affected
(Goal:
Preserve, protect, manage, and treat
cultural resources.)
Moderate degradation (fewer
than 157 sites affected).
Archaeological site condition continues to
decline because of a combination of
factors including erosion, gravity, visitor
impacts, and insufficient sediment
(Chapter 11 at http://www.gcmrc.gov/
products/score/2005/).
RECREATION RESOURCES
Whitewater boating camping beaches
(average area at normal peak stage)
(Goal: Maintain or improve the quality
of recreational experiences.)
Minor increase.
Areas suitable for camping have decreased
on average 15% per year between1998
and 2003 (Chapter 12 at http://www.
gcmrc.gov/products/score/2005/).
Another criticism is that some of the flow and
non-flow experiments that have been conducted
over the last 20 years (Tables 26.2, 26.3) were
either inadequately designed or only partially
implemented. This emphasizes the need for a
scientifically sound, long-term experimental plan
within an adaptive management framework. Since
2002, there have been several failed attempts
to develop such a plan; consequently, a major
challenge is to develop an agreed long-term plan
for evaluating the effectiveness of policies and
management actions within a scientifically sound
experimental framework. Consensus on such a
plan would increase the likelihood that monitoring
and field experiments over the long term would
focus on the most pressing management questions
and allow scientists time and resources to isolate
the variables that are driving specific trends, such
as the increase in the adult humpback chub
population.
Monitoring is a central pre-requisite for
determining the effectiveness of experimental
and management actions, so long-term funding
of this activity is essential (National Research
Council, 1996). While the Program has made
a substantial investment in current monitoring
efforts, the scope and cost of the overall monitoring
programme remains a subject of debate. For
example,
costly management and compliance actions
without expanded financial support would reduce
the funds available for monitoring. Such a shift
in emphasis would impair the ability of the
Program to monitor the status of key resources
and attributes adequately, information which is
needed to assess the effectiveness of management
actions. Therefore, the prime challenge is for
the Department and the Working Group to
secure long-term financial support to meet the
growing Program demands for both science and
management actions. Alternatively, the scope of
the management objectives and related science
activities could be reduced to focus on the very
highest priorities.
Conclusions
Adaptive management associated with Glen
Canyon Dam has now been implemented for 13
years. There have been significant achievements
in the development of long-term monitoring
and the use of results to inform large-scale field
experiments and management actions. Overall,
progress in achieving strategic management
objectives has been mixed. A notable success
has been the increase in the humpback chub
population, while re-establishing sandbars and
increased emphasis on implementing
