Changes in sand storage in the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park from July 2017 through June 2020

Between July 2017 and June 2020, the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park experienced significant fluctuations in sand storage. Notably, Marble Canyon saw a decrease in sand mass during sediment years 2018 and 2020, coinciding with below-average Paria River sand inputs. Conversely, Grand Canyon exhibited indeterminate sand mass balance in 2020 but accumulated sand in 2019, a period marked by high sand contributions from both the Paria and Little Colorado Rivers alongside reduced Glen Canyon Dam discharge. The study utilized gaging stations to measure sand transport, enabling calculations of sand storage changes across six river segments. These findings underscore the dynamic relationship between tributary sand inputs, dam operations, and sediment dynamics in the Grand Canyon ecosystem.

Griffiths, R. E., Topping, D. J., & Unema, J. A. (2024). Changes in sand storage in the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park from July 2017 through June 2020. Open-File Report. https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20231093