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New effort launched at Glen Canyon Dam to repel invasive fish

The U.S. government wants to change how it manages Glen Canyon Dam in northern Arizona to keep a disruptive invasive fish from spawning in its waters and harming protected species. 

The Bureau of Reclamation announced Tuesday that it’s started the process to create alternative operations at the dam in order to keep the smallmouth bass from spawning downstream. The decision was based off an environmental assessment last year. 

According to the agency, warm surface waters at Lake Powell have gotten closer to the water intakes for Glen Canyon Dam as the water elevation declined. And now non-native fish can more easily pass into the Colorado River. The warmer waters from the reservoir are also increasing the river’s temperatures. 

Reclamation wants to test reservoir releases that would disrupt the bass from spawning and establishing below the dam.

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Fronteras Desk senior editor Michel Marizco is an award-winning investigative reporter based in Flagstaff.