The 1996 Controlled Flood in Grand Canyon: Flow, Sediment Transport, and Geomorphic Change (original) (raw)

The 1996 controlled flood released from Glen Canyon Dam into the Colorado River was a small magnitude, short duration event compared to pre-dam floods. The controlled flood was of lesser magnitude than a 1.25-yr recurrence, and only 10% of the predam spring snowmelt floods during the period 1922-1962 were of lower magnitude. The flood occurred unusually early: 36-38 d prior to any previous annual flood since 1922. The stage difference between the flood's peak and the recessional baseflow was smaller than in those pre-dam years of similar magnitude or annual volume.