THE GRAND CANYON CONTROVERSY OR HOW RECLAMATION JUSTIFIES THE UNJUSTIFIABLE,
Abstract
The Grand Canyon controversy arose as a result of the proposal that the Bureau of Reclamation build two dams in the Canyon as part of the proposed Colorado River Basin Project (CRBP), one at Marble Gorge and the other at Bridge Canyon. Bridge Canyon Dam (which would now be called Hualapai Dam) would be located 53 miles downstream from Grand Canyon National Monument but would back water throughout the length of the Monument and 13 miles into Grand Canyon National Park. Marble Gorge Dam would be located 13 miles above the Park and would flood the inner gorge of the Grand Canyon 40 miles upstream to Lee's Ferry. The threat to alter the natural state of the Canyon, Park and Monument led to vigorous opposition by conservationists to the CRBP. The CRBP was also strongly opposed by the Pacific Northwest. Although the publicly stated purpose of the dams was to provide revenue to subsidize the other principal feature of the CRBP, the Central Arizona Project, the real intent was somewhat different. It has been shown that the dams are not needed to finance the Central Arizona Project at all, and that their real but little publicized purpose was to build a fund for the possible future importation of water into the Colorado River (presumably from the Columbia River) if and when this should prove to be politically and economically feasible. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1967
- Accession Number
- AD0649763
Entities
People
- Alan Carlin
Organizations
- RAND Corporation