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USGS survey in lower Cataract Canyon in 1921 (Palmer Canyon), which is now buried in Lake Powell sediment.

USGS survey in lower Cataract Canyon in 1921 (Palmer Canyon), which is now buried in Lake Powell sediment.

Sediment

The Colorado River is a story more about sediment than water. There is a saying on the Colorado about it's sediment load: "Too thin to plow, too thick to drink." By volume, the Colorado River is the most sandy and silty river in North America. By volume of water, the Colorado ranks 25th in the 50 states of the USA. However, this tiny river has eroded half of the Colorado Plateau in as little as 6 - 10 million years. Indeed, quite an accomplishment and a testament to the power of grits both fine and course. Once you read some of the key documents (example) in this section, you will understand that sediment will interrupt water supplies to the water users of the Colorado River in as little as ~250 years.

"The water goes, the sand remains." Armenian Proverb

"Our rivers run silt, although we could better think of them as running the telltale blood of cancer." Alan Gregg

BIBLIOGRAPHY

DOCUMENTS

1960 - Comprehensive study of Lake Mead sediment and hydrology. US Geological Survey and Bureau of Reclamation.
Table of Contents
a. The Lake Mead Problem
b. Organization of the Work & Equipment
c. Geologic Setting of Lake Mead
d. Drainage Basin Tributary to Lake Mead
e. Precise Leveling
f. Interpretation of the Precise Leveling
g. Survey of the Lake
h. Survey of Lower Granite Gorge
i. Reservoir Storage
j. Water Budget Mead Survey
k. Character of the Flowing Water
l. Chemistry of the Water
m. Circulation & Evaporation
n. Character of the Accumulated Sediment
o. Bacteriology & BioChemistry of the Sediments
p. Amount of Sediment
q. Turbidity Currents
r. Erosion of Reservoir
s. Sedimentation in Relation to Reservoir Utilization
t. Life of the Reservoir
u. The Sediment Problem in Reservoirs
v. Index

Lake Mead Repeat Photography (1871 & 1923)

SEDIMENT DOCUMENTS

MEDIA

PHOTOS

REPEAT PHOTOGRAPHY

RESERVOIR STUDIES

USGS Lake Powell Sediment Survey 2017

OTHER

 

 

 




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