Surprise and Opportunity for Learning in Grand Canyon: the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program

Facilitating Adaptive Management in California’s Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

“…A large, complex system such as the Delta might seem to require large, complex models, but their development can make unreasonable demands for expertise, time, and costs. For example, the initial, complex Grand Canyon Ecosystem Model (Walters et al 2000) often failed to predict the effects of altered river flows, while later submodels could deal with specific management needs (Melis et al 2015).…”

“…Others perceive adaptive management as a complex and rigid process involving many steps that may demand substantial resources and time and potentially distract or delay management efforts. Scientists may view adaptive management as a way to conduct research on ecosystems, while managers might regard the process as a way to obtain https://doi.org/10.15447/sfews.2017v15iss2art2 information that enables them to take action when outcomes differ from expectations (Melis et al 2015).…”

“…Furthermore, an adaptive-management approach is included in plans to restore several large-scale, complex ecosystems, including the Everglades (LoSchiavo et al 2013;NRC 2016), Glen Canyon (NRC 2004Melis et al 2015), Kissimmee River (Spencer and Bousquin 2014), and sites included in the National Estuary Program (Imperial 1993) and the National Estuarine Research Reserves (https://coast.…”

Adaptive Management of Riverine Socio-ecological Systems

“…But flow experiments have continued as part of longterm monitoring over the past 20 years. Complete return to natural flow dynamics was impossible, but an array of simultaneous experiments in flow modification were implemented to address a range of problems: conserve shoreline sandbars and fish, improve navigation (modified low fluctuating flows), and rebuild sandbars with tributary sand inputs below dam (high flow experiments), to warm the river, to benefit juvenile humpback chub (high steady flows and low summer steady flows and fall steady flows), and to limit rainbow trout egg viability (trout management flows) (Melis et al 2015).…”

Characterizing Growth and Condition of Endangered Humpback Chub in the Lower Colorado River

“…The adaptive management program work group comprises a diverse group of stakeholders that represent a variety of interests, including conservation of resources in Grand Canyon National Park, cultural values, recreational use of Colorado River resources, native fish conservation in the Colorado River ecosystem, and dam operations that meet the water and power needs of millions of people in the southwestern United States Melis et al 2015).…”