Glen Canyon Dam

Glen Canyon Dam was constructed and is operated by the Bureau of Reclamation, an agency within the Department of Interior. The controversy surrounding the construction of the dam is often cited as the beginning of the modern-day environmental movement.

As part of the authorization of the dam project, a unit called Glen Canyon Environmental Studies (GCES) was formed to study the impact of the dam on the Colorado River, through Marble and Grand Canyons downstream. Their findings have changed dramatically the way the dam is operated today. Though their name has changed to Grand Canyon Monitoring & Research Center, this unit continues to study the environmental impacts of Glen Canyon Dam.

The controversy surrounding Glen Canyon Dam has not faded with time. Positive and negative aspects of the dam are still hotly debated. Regardless of one's perspective, Glen Canyon Dam forces us to focus on the consequences of our actions and contemplate man's role both as a part of and apart from nature and the environment.

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