In 1963, Glen Canyon Dam was completed, flooding 186 miles of the Colorado
River and a spectacular region that had been proposed as a National Park
before WWII. The 125 major side canyons of Glen Canyon, comprising the biological
heart of the Colorado River, was flooded as Powell Reservoir backed up over
the next 17 years. David Brower summed up the feelings of many when he called
the loss of Glen Canyon, "America's most regretted environmental mistake."
Glen Canyon Institute (GCI) was founded in 1996 as a charitable 501(c)3
nonprofit organization with the mission of restoring a healthy Colorado
River through Glen Canyon. Leading the movement to restore this uniquely
beautiful place, Glen Canyon Institute immediately began work to conduct
scientific studies on the impacts of Glen Canyon Dam, and compiled the
results in the Citizen's Environmental
Assessment (CEA), which was released in 2001.
Around that same time, a series of low-runoff years began dropping reservoir
levels at Lake Powell significantly, reaching elevation 3555, down 145
feet and only 33% of full, on April 8, 2005. The shrinking reservoir exposed
more than 40 miles of the mainstem Colorado and San Juan Rivers, and hundreds
of miles of the Glen’s 125 major side canyons. The natural restoration
of Glen Canyon is now occurring rapidly.
Our generation has been given a miraculous second chance to witness Glen
Canyon and take part in the restoration of one of our nation’s greatest
natural treasures. Glen Canyon Institute is working to protect the revealed
landscape of Glen Canyon and ensure that the restoration will continue.
We ask for your support in this historic effort by becoming
a member and/or getting involved in one of our many current projects.
Glen Canyon Institute is that is governed by a distinguished Board
of Trustees. Our office and
staff are located in Salt Lake City,
Utah.
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Dungeon Canyon - 1963
Dr. Robt. H Moench |
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