Changes in discharge and temperature affect plants
and animals in the Grand Canyon. Without the periodic
flooding that brought nutrient-rich sediments to the
canyon, habitats along the river have become stagnant.
Also, the constant temperature of the water released
from the cold bottom of Lake Powell limits the types
of plants and aquatic animals that can survive and reproduce
in the water.
5. Describe how discharge levels and
water temperature in the Colorado River below Glen Canyon
Dam changed after the dam was built.