In-person focus groups to solicit feedback on the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program tribal survey project.

Navajo Nation Tribal Survey
Glen Canyon Dam management
and the Colorado River

Navajo Nation IRB Consent Form
Right to Ask Questions and Report Concerns:
This research study is voluntary and you have the right to ask questions about this research study.
Information collected during this research study will be confidential. However, if you have concerns or
would like to report injuries, problems, grievance and have those questions answered by the Navajo
Nation Human Research Review Board please contact, Mrs. Beverly Becenti‐Pigman, Board Chair, email:
[email protected], (928) 871‐6929, Fax 928‐871‐6255, PO Box 1390, Window Rock, AZ 86515 before,
during or after the research. You may also contact the co‐principal investigator of the study, Mr. Lucas Bair,
at any time by email or telephone at [email protected] or 928‐556‐7362.
This research study will estimate values for resources downstream of Glen Canyon Dam and the
socioeconomic impacts of Glen Canyon Dam operations to tribal communities on the Navajo Nation. This
survey will take approximately two hours and you will be asked to participate in the survey on only one
occasion. We value the time of the tribal members participating in our research and participants will be
given compensation for their time.
Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: We are collecting this information subject to the Paperwork Reduction
Act (44 U.S.C. 3501) to improve the proposed Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program tribal
survey. Your response is voluntary and we will not share the results publicly. We may not conduct or sponsor
and you are not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB
Control Number. OMB has reviewed and approved this survey and assigned OMB Control Number
1090-0011, which expires 10/31/2021.
Estimated Burden Statement: We estimate the survey will take you 120 minutes to complete, including time
to read instructions, gather information, and complete and submit the survey. You may submit comments on
any aspect of this information collection to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Geological
Survey, James Sayer, Information Collections Clearance Officer, Federal Advisory Committee GPO, Federal
Register Liaison, Oracle License Officer, Office of Information Management and Delivery, Portland, Oregon
97201.
1

Study Area
Glen Canyon Dam management
and the Colorado River
Glen Canyon Dam is located on the Colorado River in Arizona
• It is just upstream from the Grand Canyon within Glen
Canyon
• It was built to provide water supplies and hydroelectricity
• It controls the water flow through the lower portion of Glen
Canyon and the Grand Canyon
• Revenues from the sale of hydroelectricity are used to repay
costs of building and operating the dam
• An allocation of electricity from power production at the dam
is distributed to the Navajo Nation Tribal Utility Authority

2

Study Area
Glen Canyon Dam management
and the Colorado River

Lake
Mead

Study area impacted by Glen Canyon Dam
• The impacted Study area consists only of the area in and
along the Colorado River at the bottom of the Grand Canyon
and part of Glen Canyon downstream of Glen Canyon Dam
• The area begins at Glen Canyon Dam and continues for nearly
300 miles downstream from the dam
• The area ends at Lake Mead near Las Vegas, Nevada
• Part of the impacted area is within Grand Canyon National
Park and part of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
• The impacted area is along Navajo Nation reservation land

3

How Glen Canyon Dam Affects
Colorado River Resources
Glen Canyon Dam management
and the Colorado River
The natural and cultural resources in the Study area affected by
dam operations are located in and along the Colorado River
below Glen Canyon Dam.

Sediment deposits of sand and mud called beaches or sandbars,
are scattered along the river. Beaches with vegetation provide
habitat for birds and other small animals. Beaches are used by
river boaters for camping. Beaches also serve to protect ancestral
sites.
Because of a reduction in sediment supply below Glen Canyon
Dam, erosion has decreased the number and size of beaches along
the river.
• Over the past 30 years, the total area of beaches along the
Colorado River downstream from Glen Canyon Dam has
decreased by more than 25 percent.
• In the past 20 years, controlled floods released from Glen
Canyon Dam have resulted in some periodic rebuilding of
beaches, slowing the decline in size.
• The loss of beaches is most severe along the narrow sections of
4
the Colorado River.

How Glen Canyon Dam Affects
Colorado River Resources
Glen Canyon Dam management
and the Colorado River
The natural and cultural resources in the Study area affected by
dam operations are located in and along the Colorado River
below Glen Canyon Dam.

Five native fish species, including the humpback chub shown, live
in the Study area. Only one of these native species is found
outside the Colorado River and its tributaries.
Populations of native fish in the Study area declined during the
1990s, but have increased over the last ten years.
• There are five native fish species found in the Study area.
• Two of five remaining native species, the humpback chub and
razorback sucker, are in danger of becoming extinct.
• Cold water released from Glen Canyon Dam may be the most
important cause of the decline of native fish populations.
• Predation and competition from non-native fish (trout and
catfish) may have contributed to the decline of native species.

5

How Glen Canyon Dam Affects
Colorado River Resources
Glen Canyon Dam management
and the Colorado River
The natural and cultural resources in the Study area affected by
dam operations are located in and along the Colorado River
below Glen Canyon Dam.

Invasive fish also live in the river. Rainbow trout are not native to
the Colorado River. They were introduced to this section of the
Colorado River for recreational fishing following the construction
of Glen Canyon Dam. People fish for rainbow trout primarily in the
first 15 miles downstream from Glen Canyon Dam. Smaller
populations of other invasive fish species, including brown trout
and channel catfish also live in the Study area.
Conditions for trout are affected by daily fluctuations in water
level.
• Juvenile rainbow trout can be stranded along the river shore at
high water levels if water levels drop rapidly.
• The diversity of aquatic insects may be reduced because of
exposure of eggs during daily low-water periods. This may
reduce food options for juvenile and adult rainbow trout to a
very small number of insect species.
6

What can be done to protect the
resources?
Glen Canyon Dam management
and the Colorado River
The condition of downstream resources in the Study area are
monitored as part of the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management
Program. The Program’s objective is to provide a process for
coordinated Glen Canyon Dam operations and downstream
resource protection and management.
Dam managers can change the water releases from the dam to
make changes to the timing, fluctuations and average river levels.
These modifications affect sandbar erosion, native and non-native
fish, and hydropower.
Sediment (sandbar) management tools
• Frequent short periods of high water releases, or controlled
floods, increase the rebuilding of sandbars in the Grand Canyon.

7

What can be done to protect the
resources?
Glen Canyon Dam management
and the Colorado River
Fish management tools
• Flows designed to kill young trout in Glen Canyon, leading to
fewer but larger trout and improve the growth and survival of
native fish species,
• Flows designed to increase the temperature of water through
low summer flows to improve the growth and survival of native
fish species, and
• Flow experiments to improve aquatic insect production within
the river system to improve food availability for native and nonnative fish.

Cost of tools
• River managers are able to use these tools in combinations in
order to benefit the river corridor resources. All of these tools
have costs associated with them. These costs would be passed
on to the Navajo Nation tribal members through higher electric
power bills for households.
8

Approval of River Management
Tools
Glen Canyon Dam management
and the Colorado River
Please look at the following list of actions which could be used
to improve Colorado River resources below Glen Canyon Dam.
Please check whether you APPROVE or DO NOT APPROVE of
using each river management tool.
I approve

I neither
approve or
disapprove

I do not
approve

Frequent short periods of high
water releases, or controlled
floods, increase the rebuilding of
sandbars in the Grand Canyon







Flows designed to kill young trout
in Glen Canyon, lead to fewer but
larger trout, and improved survival
of native fish species







Flows designed to increase the
temperature of water through low
summer flows improve the growth
and survival of native fish species







Flow experiments to improve
aquatic insect production within
the river system improve food
availability for native and nonnative fish







River management tools

9

Willingness to Pay for River
Management Tools
Glen Canyon Dam management
and the Colorado River
The use of any of the tools listed above would reduce the
amount and value of power generated by Glen Canyon Dam.
This would raise costs of power to Navajo Nation tribal
households.
What is the most you would be willing to pay per month in
order to have the river management tools you approve of used
to manage the Colorado River ecosystem?
Please check the amount you would be willing to pay per
month in an increased household electric power bill:
 I would not be willing to pay anything
 50 cents per month ($6 per year)
 $1 per month ($12 per year)
 $1.50 per month ($18 per year)
 $2 per month ($24 per year)
 $2.50 per month ($30 per year)
 $5 per month ($60 per year)
 $10 or more per month ($120 or more per year)

10

Implementation of River
Management Tools
Glen Canyon Dam management
and the Colorado River
The implementation of river management tools at the dam
involve tradeoffs, such as
• Varying flows from the dam to reduce rainbow trout may
help native fish species, but might also reduce power
generation, which would raise electricity costs for Navajo
Nation tribal households.
• Having periodic controlled floods will rebuild downstream
sandbars, but will also result in lower hydropower
production from the dam.
• Existing dam management would maintain invasive rainbow
trout and can lead to lower populations of native fish, such
as humpback chub.
In the next set of questions, we would like you to tell us
what types of changes in resources along the Colorado River
in the Grand Canyon you would most prefer. There are no
right or wrong answers. We just want your best opinion on
which of the two plans shown in each of the following XX
questions you would most prefer.

11

Implementation of River
Management Tools
Glen Canyon Dam management
and the Colorado River
Different people prefer different policies for managing the
Colorado River Ecosystem below Glen Canyon Dam. Please
look at the two management plans for the river shown below.
Each has a different affect on river sandbars, endangered
chub populations and trout populations. Please check which
plan you prefer.
Resources impacted
by river
management tools
River beaches for
recreation and
protection of
ancestral sites
(Size and number)
Endangered native
fish (humpback
chub) populations

Trout populations
for angling
I would vote for
(check only one )

Management
Plan A

Management
Plan B

20%, or moderate,
decrease in size
and number

20%, or moderate,
increase in size and
number

Remain at present
levels

25%, or moderate,
increase in
humpback chub
populations

OR

Remain at present
condition

50%, or large,
increase in large
trout





How certain do you feel about the choice you made above?
 Very certain
 Somewhat certain
 Not certain at all

12

Attitudinal Questions
Glen Canyon Dam management
and the Colorado River
Thinking about the choices you just made, please rate how much you agree
or disagree with each of the following statements. (Circle one number for
each statement)
Statement
It is important to restore and protect the
Colorado River ecosystem no matter how
much it costs.
I do not believe the management tools
will actually improve the Colorado River
natural and cultural resources.

Strongly
Agree
Agree

Neither
Agree or
Disagree

Strongly
Disagree
Disagree

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

People often have different views about environmental issues. On a scale of
1 to 5, with 1 being strongly agree, and 5 being strongly disagree, please
indicate how you feel about each statement written below. (Circle one
number for each statement)
Statement
I have a great deal of concern for
protecting wildlife habitat.
Endangered species should be protected
even if they don’t provide any benefit to
humans.

Strongly
Agree
Agree

Neither
Strongly
Agree or Disagree
Disagree
Disagree

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

13

Attitudinal Questions
Glen Canyon Dam management
and the Colorado River
Now I would like you to read some statements about how you personally
feel about the Colorado River and other land and water resources. Please
check how strongly you agree or disagree with each statement. (Circle one
number for each statement)
Statement

Rivers and streams have spiritual or
cultural values for me.

For me the Colorado River has spiritual
significance because some of my Tribe's
origins and oral history are centered on
the area.
I know of or visit sites along the
Colorado River for cultural reasons or to
collect spring water, plants, and
minerals (salts).
I feel it is fine for anyone to use the
Colorado Rive in Glen and Grand
Canyons for fishing, hiking, or boating at
any time.
It is important to protect the Colorado
River for cultural use by future
generations.

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Neither Disagree Strongly
agree or
Disagree
disagree

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

14

Demographic Questions
Glen Canyon Dam management
and the Colorado River
Are you male or female?
 Male
 Female
What is your age?
________ years old
How many people live in your household?
________ people 18 years old or older
________ people under the age of 18
________ total number of people in the household
What is the highest degree or level of school you have completed?
 No high school diploma
 High school diploma or GED
 Some college credit but no degree
 Associate’s degree (for example: AA or AS)
 Bachelor’s degree (for example: BA or BS)
 Some graduate school or professional school credit or a graduate or professional degree
Do you or either of your parents belong to any of the following tribes in addition to the
Navajo Tribe? (Check all that apply or leave blank if not applicable)
 Apache
 Havasupai
 Hopi
 Hualapai
 Pueblo
 Paiute
 Zuni
 Other (please specify):_____________________________

15

Demographic Questions
Glen Canyon Dam management
and the Colorado River
Are you an enrolled member of the Navajo Tribe?
 Yes
 No
Do you have formal training in cultural or traditional practices?
 Yes
 No
Which of the following categories best describes your employment status? (Check all that
apply)
 Employed full time
 Employed part time
 Retired
 Student
 Work in the household (for example, raise children)
 Unemployed
 Other (please describe)

__________________________

If employed, are you a Tribal employee?
 Yes
 No
What was your total pre-tax household income, including all earners in your household, in
2016?
Under $25,000
 $25,000 to $34,999
 $35,000 to $49,999
 $50,000 to $74,999
 $75,000 to $99,999
 $100,000 to $199,999
 $200,000 or more
 I do not with to answer
16

Contact Information
Glen Canyon Dam management
and the Colorado River

Navajo Nation IRB Consent Form
Right to Ask Questions and Report Concerns:
This research study is voluntary and you have the right to ask questions about this research
study. Information collected during this research study will be confidential. However, if you
have concerns or would like to report injuries, problems, grievance and have those questions
answered by the Navajo Nation Human Research Review Board please contact, Mrs. Beverly
Becenti‐Pigman, Board Chair, email: [email protected], (928) 871‐6929, Fax 928‐871‐6255,
PO Box 1390, Window Rock, AZ 86515 before, during or after the research. You may also
contact the co-principal investigator of the study, Mr. Lucas Bair, at any time by email or
telephone at [email protected] or 928-556-7362.
This research study will estimate values for resources downstream of Glen Canyon Dam and
the socioeconomic impacts of Glen Canyon Dam operations to tribal communities on the
Navajo Nation. This survey will take approximately two hours and you will be asked to
participate in the survey on only one occasion. We value the time of the tribal members
participating in our research and participants will be given compensation for their time.

17