{"id":2429,"date":"2021-11-02T21:52:46","date_gmt":"2021-11-02T21:52:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/?page_id=2429"},"modified":"2021-11-04T18:04:52","modified_gmt":"2021-11-04T18:04:52","slug":"as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/","title":{"rendered":"As Lake Powell shrinks, the Colorado River is coming back to life"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover alignfull is-style-default\" style=\"min-height:720px;aspect-ratio:unset;\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"has-background-dim-100 wp-block-cover__gradient-background has-background-dim\"><\/span><video class=\"wp-block-cover__video-background intrinsic-ignore\" autoplay muted loop playsinline src=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/ccl-720-2.mov\" data-object-fit=\"cover\"><\/video><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-cover-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size\"><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"scientists-studying-the-colorado-river-are-finding-a-quickly-changing-environment-that-s-reminiscent-of-a-life-lived-before-the-glen-canyon-dam\">Scientists studying the Colorado River are finding a quickly changing environment that\u2019s reminiscent of a life lived before the Glen Canyon Dam.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sltrib.com\/author\/zpodmore\">Zak Podmore<\/a> | Photography by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sltrib.com\/author\/fkjolseth\/\">Francisco Kjolseth<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><strong>Cataract Canyon <\/strong>\u2022 <\/strong>When Mike DeHoff began leading river trips in the early 1990s, there was little ambiguity about where the Colorado River ended and Lake Powell began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>DeHoff, who guided students on Outward Bound courses in southeastern Utah for over a decade, taught backcountry travel skills on the remote, winding flat water of the Green and Colorado rivers in Canyonlands National Park. Below the confluence of the two rivers, his students learned to navigate the challenging whitewater of Cataract, a series of 26 rapids culminating in the run\u2019s three-part crux: the Big Drops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" data-attachment-id=\"2478\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-364-copy\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-364-copy.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1280\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Jack Stauss, left, and Scott Christensen with eh Glen Canyon Institute navigate the rapids of the Colorado River in Cataract Canyon.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635803597&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Cataract-Canyon-364-copy\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Jack Stauss, left, and Scott Christensen with eh Glen Canyon Institute navigate the rapids of the Colorado River in Cataract Canyon.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-364-copy-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-364-copy-1024x683.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" src=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-364-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2478\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-364-copy.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-364-copy-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-364-copy-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-364-copy-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-364-copy-1568x1045.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption>Jack Stauss and Scott Christensen in Capsize Rapid.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>When Lake Powell is filled or near capacity, as was the case through much of the 1980s and 1990s, the river current stopped just downstream of the drops, its muddy waters becoming a limpid blue reservoir as hundreds of millions of tons of sediment settled to the river bottom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI remember one day we were on this great trip [in the mid-1990s],\u201d DeHoff said. \u201cWe were scouting Big Drop Three, looking downstream, and there were Jet Skis and a cabin cruiser sitting in the eddy. Jet Skis came running up, and someone was trying to play in some of the tail waves. It was just such a contrast.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Scouting the Big Drops today, that scene is almost impossible to picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"985\" data-attachment-id=\"2482\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-398\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-398.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,985\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) River rafters scout Big Drop Three as a boat goes through what used to be the end of the rapids section in Cataract Canyon before it met the start of Lake Powell.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635807417&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Cataract-Canyon-398\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) River rafters scout Big Drop Three as a boat goes through what used to be the end of the rapids section in Cataract Canyon before it met the start of Lake Powell.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-398-300x154.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-398-1024x525.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" src=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-398.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2482\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-398.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-398-300x154.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-398-1024x525.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-398-1536x788.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-398-1568x804.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption>The science team scouts Big Drop Three.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In July, Lake Powell hit its lowest level since it was first filled in the 1960s, with the water level 155 feet below its full pool elevation. If cabin cruiser owners can even find a way to launch on the boat ramps in Glen Canyon National Recreation area, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sltrib.com\/news\/2021\/08\/07\/national-park-service\/\">most of which became unusable this summer<\/a>, they\u2019re restricted to a dwindling reservoir that now begins roughly 38 miles downstream of Big Drop Three.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the Colorado carves a channel through the reservoir sediment, long-buried rapids have started to reemerge, side canyons are being scoured of mud, beaches are forming again, native plants are reestablishing themselves and habitat for threatened fish species may be expanding. For those who know the place well, the changes in this living laboratory are as constant as they are surprising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>DeHoff currently earns his living <a href=\"http:\/\/www.eddylinewelding.com\/\">welding custom raft frames and equipment<\/a> in Moab, but he still organizes river trips through a group he co-founded called the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.returningrapids.com\/\">Returning Rapids Project<\/a>. Instead of guiding teenagers on Outward Bound courses, however, his passengers are now more likely to include leading policymakers and water managers in the region, along with conservationists, historians and scientists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The mission: to better understand what happens when a river, inundated for decades, begins to recover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignfull size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1281\" data-attachment-id=\"2440\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-337\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-337.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1281\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) The rising sun ignites the Colorado River with color at the North Wash take out in October of 2021 offering the only nearby option for boaters as low Lake Powell reservoir levels closed Hite Marina just down river in the early 2000s.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635773539&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Cataract-Canyon-337\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) The rising sun ignites the Colorado River with color at the North Wash take out in October of 2021 offering the only nearby option for boaters as low Lake Powell reservoir levels closed Hite Marina just down river in the early 2000s.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-337-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-337-1024x683.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" src=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-337.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2440\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-337.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-337-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-337-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-337-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-337-1568x1046.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"a-circus-of-science\"><strong>A circus of science<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile is-image-fill\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\" style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-390-t-1024x683.jpg);background-position:66% 4%\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-attachment-id=\"2431\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-390-t\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-390-t.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1280\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Long time Cataract Canyon river runner Mike DeHoff who earns his living by welding custom raft frames and equipment in Moab co-founded the Returning Rapids Project, guiding scientist, water managers, policy makers and more to better understand the changes taking place along the river.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635777800&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Cataract-Canyon-390-t\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Long time Cataract Canyon river runner Mike DeHoff who earns his living by welding custom raft frames and equipment in Moab co-founded the Returning Rapids Project, guiding scientist, water managers, policy makers and more to better understand the changes taking place along the river.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-390-t-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-390-t-1024x683.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" src=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-390-t-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Mike DeHoff\" class=\"wp-image-2431 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-390-t-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-390-t-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-390-t-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-390-t-1568x1045.jpg 1568w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-390-t.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p><meta charset=\"utf-8\"><meta charset=\"utf-8\"><meta charset=\"utf-8\">On a chilly morning last month, DeHoff gathered the 28 participants in the latest Returning Rapids Project trip beside the Colorado River just west of Moab. After outlining the schedule for the 96-mile trip from the Potash Boat Ramp to the North Wash takeout, DeHoff explained his role \u2014 he would serve as ringmaster for a floating circus of science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><meta charset=\"utf-8\">Over the next seven days, the description proved apt. A grin rarely left DeHoff\u2019s face as he helped coordinate the pods of university professors and government scientists who broke away from the group each morning to pursue their various research agendas.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow alignfull\" data-autoplay=\"true\" data-delay=\"5\" data-effect=\"slide\"><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_container swiper-container\"><ul class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_swiper-wrapper swiper-wrapper\"><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1351\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-2498\" data-id=\"2498\" src=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-359.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-359.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-359-300x211.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-359-1024x721.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-359-1536x1081.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-359-1568x1103.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Bob Tusso, left, and Paul Grams map the streambed profile.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1317\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-2518\" data-id=\"2518\" src=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-334-copy.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-334-copy.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-334-copy-300x206.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-334-copy-1024x702.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-334-copy-1536x1054.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-334-copy-1568x1076.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Paul Grams overlooks maps of the streambed profile.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-2496\" data-id=\"2496\" src=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-412.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-412.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-412-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-412-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-412-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-412-1568x1176.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Seth Arens tracks changes in vegetation and eco systems.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1293\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-2495\" data-id=\"2495\" src=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-323.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-323.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-323-300x202.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-323-1024x690.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-323-1536x1034.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-323-1568x1056.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Seth Arens and Brenda Bowen use a portable x-ray fluorescence machine to analyze the geochemistry in soils.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-2517\" data-id=\"2517\" src=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-432-copy.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-432-copy.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-432-copy-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-432-copy-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-432-copy-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-432-copy-1568x1176.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Scott Hynek takes a water sample in Clear Water Canyon<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1281\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-2435\" data-id=\"2435\" src=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-fk-0725.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-fk-0725.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-fk-0725-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-fk-0725-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-fk-0725-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-fk-0725-1568x1046.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Christine Rumsey and Brenda Bowen use a portable x-ray fluorescence machine to analyze the geochemistry of the sediments.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-prev swiper-button-prev swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-next swiper-button-next swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a aria-label=\"Pause Slideshow\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-pause\" role=\"button\"><\/a><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_pagination swiper-pagination swiper-pagination-white\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>A crew from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) used sonar equipment attached to a motorized raft to map the three-dimensional streambed topography, a logistically complicated process requiring GPS stations to be set up at various locations along the riverbanks. Other USGS employees collected water, soil and sand samples, while fisheries experts monitored populations of native <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sltrib.com\/news\/environment\/2020\/07\/29\/how-tiny-fish-is-helping\/\" target=\"_blank\">humpback chub<\/a> in the rapids of Cataract Canyon. Ecologists looked at the distribution of native plants and the growth of living biocrust on the exposed reservoir sediment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-tiled-gallery aligncenter is-style-rectangular\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__gallery\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__row\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:50.00000%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"2472\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-439-copy\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-439-copy.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1372,1920\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Hydrologist Chris Wilkowske, left, with the United States Geological Survey and hydrologic technician Noah Derrick set up a survey grade GPS unit above the mouth of Dark Canyon to gather position data as part of a Cataract Canyon river trip to study the change in Lake Powell levels.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635793162&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Hydrologist Chris Wilkowske, left, with the United States Geological Survey and hydrologic technician Noah Derrick set up a survey grade GPS unit above the mouth of Dark Canyon to gather position data as part of a Cataract Canyon river trip to study the change in Lake Powell levels.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-439-copy-214x300.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-439-copy-732x1024.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" data-attachment-id=\"2472\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-439-copy\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-439-copy.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1372,1920\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Hydrologist Chris Wilkowske, left, with the United States Geological Survey and hydrologic technician Noah Derrick set up a survey grade GPS unit above the mouth of Dark Canyon to gather position data as part of a Cataract Canyon river trip to study the change in Lake Powell levels.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635793162&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Hydrologist Chris Wilkowske, left, with the United States Geological Survey and hydrologic technician Noah Derrick set up a survey grade GPS unit above the mouth of Dark Canyon to gather position data as part of a Cataract Canyon river trip to study the change in Lake Powell levels.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-439-copy-214x300.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-439-copy-732x1024.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-439-copy-732x1024.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600 600w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-439-copy-732x1024.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900 900w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-439-copy-732x1024.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1200 1200w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-439-copy-732x1024.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1372 1372w\" alt=\"\" data-height=\"1920\" data-id=\"2472\" data-link=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-439-copy\/\" data-url=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-439-copy-732x1024.jpg\" data-width=\"1372\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-439-copy-732x1024.jpg\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:50.00000%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"2471\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-427-copy\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-427-copy.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1372,1920\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Zach Arens, a fish biologist with the Utah Division of Wildlife uses a hoop net near Gypsum Canyon to check for fish species and to see if humpback chub are possibly using the newly emerged rapids as habitat as Lake Powell recedes and more rapids emerge.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635760890&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Zach Arens, a fish biologist with the Utah Division of Wildlife uses a hoop net near Gypsum Canyon to check for fish species and to see if humpback chub are possibly using the newly emerged rapids as habitat as Lake Powell recedes and more rapids emerge.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-427-copy-214x300.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-427-copy-732x1024.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" data-attachment-id=\"2471\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-427-copy\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-427-copy.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1372,1920\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Zach Arens, a fish biologist with the Utah Division of Wildlife uses a hoop net near Gypsum Canyon to check for fish species and to see if humpback chub are possibly using the newly emerged rapids as habitat as Lake Powell recedes and more rapids emerge.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635760890&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Zach Arens, a fish biologist with the Utah Division of Wildlife uses a hoop net near Gypsum Canyon to check for fish species and to see if humpback chub are possibly using the newly emerged rapids as habitat as Lake Powell recedes and more rapids emerge.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-427-copy-214x300.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-427-copy-732x1024.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-427-copy-732x1024.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600 600w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-427-copy-732x1024.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900 900w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-427-copy-732x1024.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1200 1200w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-427-copy-732x1024.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1372 1372w\" alt=\"\" data-height=\"1920\" data-id=\"2471\" data-link=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-427-copy\/\" data-url=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-427-copy-732x1024.jpg\" data-width=\"1372\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-427-copy-732x1024.jpg\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-tiled-gallery aligncenter is-style-rectangular\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__gallery\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__row\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:50.00000%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"2465\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-436\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-436.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1280\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Rachel Ellis, Associate Director of the South West River Protection, gets a chance to cement in a new geological survey brass cap near the mouth of Dark Canyon to be used as the base for a survey grade GPS unit.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635792284&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Rachel Ellis, Associate Director of the South West River Protection, gets a chance to cement in a new geological survey brass cap near the mouth of Dark Canyon to be used as the base for a survey grade GPS unit.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-436-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-436-1024x683.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" data-attachment-id=\"2465\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-436\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-436.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1280\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Rachel Ellis, Associate Director of the South West River Protection, gets a chance to cement in a new geological survey brass cap near the mouth of Dark Canyon to be used as the base for a survey grade GPS unit.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635792284&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Rachel Ellis, Associate Director of the South West River Protection, gets a chance to cement in a new geological survey brass cap near the mouth of Dark Canyon to be used as the base for a survey grade GPS unit.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-436-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-436-1024x683.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-436-1024x683.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600 600w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-436-1024x683.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900 900w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-436-1024x683.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1200 1200w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-436-1024x683.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1500 1500w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-436-1024x683.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1800 1800w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-436-1024x683.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1920 1920w\" alt=\"\" data-height=\"1280\" data-id=\"2465\" data-link=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-436\/\" data-url=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-436-1024x683.jpg\" data-width=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-436-1024x683.jpg\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:50.00000%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"2466\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-428-copy\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-428-copy.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1280\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Zach Arens, a fish biologist with the Utah Division of Wildlife uses a hoop net near Gypsum Canyon to check for fish species as he pulls a pair of channel cat fish from the net which are native to the Mississippi basin and to see if humpback chub are possibly using the newly emerged rapids as habitat as Lake Powell recedes and more rapids emerge.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635782583&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Zach Arens, a fish biologist with the Utah Division of Wildlife uses a hoop net near Gypsum Canyon to check for fish species as he pulls a pair of channel cat fish from the net which are native to the Mississippi basin and to see if humpback chub are possibly using the newly emerged rapids as habitat as Lake Powell recedes and more rapids emerge.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-428-copy-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-428-copy-1024x683.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" data-attachment-id=\"2466\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-428-copy\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-428-copy.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1280\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Zach Arens, a fish biologist with the Utah Division of Wildlife uses a hoop net near Gypsum Canyon to check for fish species as he pulls a pair of channel cat fish from the net which are native to the Mississippi basin and to see if humpback chub are possibly using the newly emerged rapids as habitat as Lake Powell recedes and more rapids emerge.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635782583&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Zach Arens, a fish biologist with the Utah Division of Wildlife uses a hoop net near Gypsum Canyon to check for fish species as he pulls a pair of channel cat fish from the net which are native to the Mississippi basin and to see if humpback chub are possibly using the newly emerged rapids as habitat as Lake Powell recedes and more rapids emerge.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-428-copy-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-428-copy-1024x683.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-428-copy-1024x683.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600 600w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-428-copy-1024x683.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900 900w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-428-copy-1024x683.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1200 1200w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-428-copy-1024x683.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1500 1500w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-428-copy-1024x683.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1800 1800w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-428-copy-1024x683.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1920 1920w\" alt=\"\" data-height=\"1280\" data-id=\"2466\" data-link=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-428-copy\/\" data-url=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-428-copy-1024x683.jpg\" data-width=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-428-copy-1024x683.jpg\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Around the campfire at night, the typical river running tales of whitewater mishaps were interspersed with impromptu geology lessons, focused not on the millions of years of history represented in the canyon walls but the much more narrow geological record found in sediment banks in upper Lake Powell. Researchers swapped hypotheses and anecdotes about the constantly changing environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-tiled-gallery alignfull is-style-rectangular\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__gallery\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__row\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:68.38630%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"2474\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-335-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-335-1.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1281\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) A full moon casts its glow along the Colorado River at the North Wash takeout as a team of university professors and government scientists gather around the campfire one last time following a weeklong trip to study the effects of a shrinking Lake Powell following years of drought.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635828602&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;A full moon casts its glow along the Colorado River at the North Wash takeout as a team of university professors and government scientists gather around the campfire one last time following a weeklong trip to study the effects of a shrinking Lake Powell following years of drought.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-335-1-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-335-1-1024x683.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" data-attachment-id=\"2474\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-335-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-335-1.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1281\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) A full moon casts its glow along the Colorado River at the North Wash takeout as a team of university professors and government scientists gather around the campfire one last time following a weeklong trip to study the effects of a shrinking Lake Powell following years of drought.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635828602&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;A full moon casts its glow along the Colorado River at the North Wash takeout as a team of university professors and government scientists gather around the campfire one last time following a weeklong trip to study the effects of a shrinking Lake Powell following years of drought.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-335-1-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-335-1-1024x683.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-335-1-1024x683.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600 600w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-335-1-1024x683.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900 900w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-335-1-1024x683.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1200 1200w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-335-1-1024x683.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1500 1500w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-335-1-1024x683.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1800 1800w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-335-1-1024x683.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1920 1920w\" alt=\"\" data-height=\"1281\" data-id=\"2474\" data-link=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-335-2\/\" data-url=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-335-1-1024x683.jpg\" data-width=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-335-1-1024x683.jpg\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:31.61370%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"2445\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-274\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-274.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1335\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Mike Fiebig, director of Southwest River Protection at American Rivers and Rachel Ellis, Associate Director of the South West River Protection take their turn cooking dinner for a large team of professors and scientists on a research trip as part of the Returning Rapids Program along the Colorado River in Utah.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635814963&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Mike Fiebig, director of Southwest River Protection at American Rivers and Rachel Ellis, Associate Director of the South West River Protection take their turn cooking dinner for a large team of professors and scientists on a research trip as part of the Returning Rapids Program along the Colorado River in Utah.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-274-300x209.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-274-1024x712.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" data-attachment-id=\"2445\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-274\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-274.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1335\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Mike Fiebig, director of Southwest River Protection at American Rivers and Rachel Ellis, Associate Director of the South West River Protection take their turn cooking dinner for a large team of professors and scientists on a research trip as part of the Returning Rapids Program along the Colorado River in Utah.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635814963&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Mike Fiebig, director of Southwest River Protection at American Rivers and Rachel Ellis, Associate Director of the South West River Protection take their turn cooking dinner for a large team of professors and scientists on a research trip as part of the Returning Rapids Program along the Colorado River in Utah.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-274-300x209.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-274-1024x712.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-274-1024x712.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600 600w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-274-1024x712.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900 900w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-274-1024x712.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1200 1200w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-274-1024x712.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1500 1500w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-274-1024x712.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1800 1800w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-274-1024x712.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1920 1920w\" alt=\"\" data-height=\"1335\" data-id=\"2445\" data-link=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-274\/\" data-url=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-274-1024x712.jpg\" data-width=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-274-1024x712.jpg\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"2447\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-370\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-370.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1424\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Mike DeHoff with the Returning Rivers Project turns on the daily morning alarm as he ignites the propane stove that sounds like a jet engine which announces the start of morning coffee during a recent trip down the Colorado River with a team of scientists.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635771016&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Mike DeHoff with the Returning Rivers Project turns on the daily morning alarm as he ignites the propane stove that sounds like a jet engine which announces the start of morning coffee during a recent trip down the Colorado River with a team of scientists.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-370-300x223.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-370-1024x759.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" data-attachment-id=\"2447\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-370\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-370.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1424\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Mike DeHoff with the Returning Rivers Project turns on the daily morning alarm as he ignites the propane stove that sounds like a jet engine which announces the start of morning coffee during a recent trip down the Colorado River with a team of scientists.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635771016&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Mike DeHoff with the Returning Rivers Project turns on the daily morning alarm as he ignites the propane stove that sounds like a jet engine which announces the start of morning coffee during a recent trip down the Colorado River with a team of scientists.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-370-300x223.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-370-1024x759.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-370-1024x759.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600 600w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-370-1024x759.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900 900w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-370-1024x759.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1200 1200w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-370-1024x759.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1500 1500w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-370-1024x759.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1800 1800w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-370-1024x759.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1920 1920w\" alt=\"\" data-height=\"1424\" data-id=\"2447\" data-link=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-370\/\" data-url=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-370-1024x759.jpg\" data-width=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-370-1024x759.jpg\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><\/div><\/div><div class=\"tiled-gallery__row\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:49.37786%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"2448\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-377\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-377.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1257\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Mike DeHoff of the Returning Rapids Project holds court after dark as he sets the agenda for the upcoming day to best accommodate everyone\\u2019s needs while coordinating a team of scientists researching the Colorado River in Cataract Canyon where Lake Powell continues to recede.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635819096&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Mike DeHoff of the Returning Rapids Project holds court after dark as he sets the agenda for the upcoming day to best accommodate everyone\u2019s needs while coordinating a team of scientists researching the Colorado River in Cataract Canyon where Lake Powell continues to recede.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-377-300x196.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-377-1024x670.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" data-attachment-id=\"2448\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-377\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-377.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1257\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Mike DeHoff of the Returning Rapids Project holds court after dark as he sets the agenda for the upcoming day to best accommodate everyone\\u2019s needs while coordinating a team of scientists researching the Colorado River in Cataract Canyon where Lake Powell continues to recede.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635819096&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Mike DeHoff of the Returning Rapids Project holds court after dark as he sets the agenda for the upcoming day to best accommodate everyone\u2019s needs while coordinating a team of scientists researching the Colorado River in Cataract Canyon where Lake Powell continues to recede.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-377-300x196.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-377-1024x670.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-377-1024x670.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600 600w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-377-1024x670.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900 900w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-377-1024x670.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1200 1200w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-377-1024x670.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1500 1500w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-377-1024x670.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1800 1800w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-377-1024x670.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1920 1920w\" alt=\"\" data-height=\"1257\" data-id=\"2448\" data-link=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-377\/\" data-url=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-377-1024x670.jpg\" data-width=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-377-1024x670.jpg\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:50.62214%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"2446\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-322\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-322.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1226\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Historic footage on the early exploration of Cataract Canyon gets a special outdoor screening at Gypsum Canyon as a team of scientists and college professors join the Returning Rapids Project in October of 2021.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635821322&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Historic footage on the early exploration of Cataract Canyon gets a special outdoor screening at Gypsum Canyon as a team of scientists and college professors join the Returning Rapids Project in October of 2021.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-322-300x192.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-322-1024x654.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" data-attachment-id=\"2446\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-322\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-322.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1226\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Historic footage on the early exploration of Cataract Canyon gets a special outdoor screening at Gypsum Canyon as a team of scientists and college professors join the Returning Rapids Project in October of 2021.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635821322&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Historic footage on the early exploration of Cataract Canyon gets a special outdoor screening at Gypsum Canyon as a team of scientists and college professors join the Returning Rapids Project in October of 2021.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-322-300x192.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-322-1024x654.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-322-1024x654.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600 600w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-322-1024x654.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900 900w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-322-1024x654.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1200 1200w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-322-1024x654.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1500 1500w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-322-1024x654.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1800 1800w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-322-1024x654.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1920 1920w\" alt=\"\" data-height=\"1226\" data-id=\"2446\" data-link=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-322\/\" data-url=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-322-1024x654.jpg\" data-width=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-322-1024x654.jpg\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDeHoff is sort of the prophet of Cataract Canyon, and I have joined his church,\u201d laughed Brenda Bowen, director of the <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/environment.utah.edu\/about\/\" target=\"_blank\">Global Change and Sustainability Center at the University of Utah<\/a>, who is analyzing the chemical makeup of reservoir deposits. \u201cHe\u2019s such a charismatic, thoughtful and gentle leader of this whole project. \u2026 He\u2019s built this network of scientists who are really excited about what\u2019s going on here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bowen, a geology professor who studies how human activity is affecting landscape evolution, said that by bringing together scientists from numerous disciplines, the Returning Rapids Project is helping broaden researchers\u2019 understanding of the ways low reservoir levels might impact human and ecosystem health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignfull size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1290\" data-attachment-id=\"2449\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-311\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-311.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1290\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) The rising sun lights up the rim above the confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers marking the start of Cataract Canyon in Canyonlands Utah in mid-October 2021.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635771148&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Cataract-Canyon-311\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) The rising sun lights up the rim above the confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers marking the start of Cataract Canyon in Canyonlands Utah in mid-October 2021.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-311-300x202.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-311-1024x688.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" src=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-311.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2449\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-311.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-311-300x202.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-311-1024x688.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-311-1536x1032.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-311-1568x1054.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"megadrought-brings-change\"><strong>Megadrought brings change<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Although DeHoff is sometimes seen as the face of the organization, he is quick to list the many other people who have made the Returning Rapids Project possible. Foremost among them is Peter Lefebvre, a veteran river guide based in Moab.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lefebvre first ran Cataract in 2002, a year many climatologists mark as the beginning of a new cycle of decreased snowfall, which has been described as a \u201cmegadrought\u201d and the \u201cnew abnormal\u201d by Science magazine. A decade later, he was running 15 to 20 trips down Cataract Canyon each year and noticing something new in the lower canyon on every trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1117\" data-attachment-id=\"2450\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-350\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-350.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1117\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) RJ Johnson, left, a geologist and veteran boatsman, navigates rapids in Cataract Canyon as he is joined by Utah State University professor Jack Schmidt and Rachel Ellis with American Rivers as part of a research trip in mid-October 2021.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635797984&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Cataract-Canyon-350\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) RJ Johnson, left, a geologist and veteran boatsman, navigates rapids in Cataract Canyon as he is joined by Utah State University professor Jack Schmidt and Rachel Ellis with American Rivers as part of a research trip in mid-October 2021.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-350-300x175.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-350-1024x596.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" src=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-350.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-350.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-350-300x175.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-350-1024x596.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-350-1536x894.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-350-1568x912.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI had a lightbulb moment after watching \u2018Chasing Ice,\u2019 a movie about glaciers retreating,\u2019\u2019 he said. \u201cI wanted to start trying to document all the change that was happening [in Cataract].\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When Lefebvre stopped by DeHoff\u2019s shop in 2017 and asked for welding lessons, the pair struck up a friendship and the Returning Rapids Project was born.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, DeHoff\u2019s wife, Meg Flynn, who happened to be working on a master\u2019s degree in library science, helped the group find historic photos of pre-dam trips through Cataract that had been stored away in university archives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Through repeat photography and with the help of other river runners, DeHoff and Lefebvre began to formalize their documentation of the <a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1mImjd3Ygy8v6cu7uqbDsHwofUOdga9kr\/view\">dozen rapids and riffles below the Big Drops<\/a> that had been filled with sediment and were now beginning to reemerge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The effort slowly crystallized into a more ambitious project. Geologists with the USGS and Utah universities caught wind of the group\u2019s efforts, and the Returning Rapids Project was granted special use permits from Canyonlands National Park to transport scientists through the canyon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt turned into this feedback loop where we\u2019re getting more information from different angles,\u201d Lefebvre said, \u201cto document the restorative power of the river.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignfull size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1262\" data-attachment-id=\"2453\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-304\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-304.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1262\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) A full moon begins to set as it casts its glow along the deep canyon walls at the confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers in Cataract Canyon in mid-October of 2021, as a team of scientist set out to document the changes brought on by years of drought.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635765820&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Cataract-Canyon-304\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) A full moon begins to set as it casts its glow along the deep canyon walls at the confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers in Cataract Canyon in mid-October of 2021, as a team of scientist set out to document the changes brought on by years of drought.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-304-300x197.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-304-1024x673.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" src=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-304.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2453\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-304.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-304-300x197.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-304-1024x673.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-304-1536x1010.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-304-1568x1031.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"crisis-and-opportunity\"><strong>Crisis and opportunity<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For Jack Schmidt, a professor at <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/qcnr.usu.edu\/coloradoriver\/\" target=\"_blank\">Utah State University\u2019s Center for Colorado River Studies<\/a>, the research being conducted in lower Cataract Canyon could complicate political plans that are being made about how to best manage Lake Powell, the nation\u2019s second-largest reservoir behind Lake Mead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe biggest management decision that lies ahead,\u201d he said, \u201cis what to do in the next wet spring runoff year, whenever that occurs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The business-as-usual approach, Schmidt continued, would be to refill the reservoir, but the research is helping add nuance to planning efforts by illuminating how reservoir levels could impact water and air quality, among other concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhat are the valued ecological and recreational and archaeological and historical resources \u2026 below full pool elevation?\u201d Schmidt asked. \u201cThose ought to be known to the general public.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-attachment-id=\"2489\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-289\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-289.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1440\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Granaries and primitive art across the river from Lathrop Canyon give a glimpse into past as a team of scientists travel along the Colorado River in mid-October, 2021.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635784518&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Cataract-Canyon-289\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Granaries and primitive art across the river from Lathrop Canyon give a glimpse into past as a team of scientists travel along the Colorado River in mid-October, 2021.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-289-300x225.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-289-1024x768.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" src=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-289-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2489\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-289-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-289-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-289-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-289-1568x1176.jpg 1568w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-289.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Some conservation groups are looking into whether it makes sense to advocate for a plan that caps levels in Lake Powell somewhere below its full capacity to protect those resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere are few things worse than losing a special place the first time but one of them is losing it a second time,\u201d said Mike Fiebig, director of <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.americanrivers.org\/rivers\/discover-your-river\/southwest-rivers\/southwest-river-protection-program\/\" target=\"_blank\">Southwest River Protection at American Rivers<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With both Lake Powell and Lake Mead hovering around a third of capacity and long-term drought predicted to continue by leading climate models for the basin, Fiebig said recovering riparian ecosystems and emerging cultural sites in the bed of Lake Powell need to be taken into account as water managers decide which reservoirs to fill first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignfull size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1253\" data-attachment-id=\"2464\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-296\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-296.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1253\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Colorado River loops back on itself before reaching the confluence with the Green and the start of Cataract Canyon in Canyonlands Utah as seen in mid-October 2021.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635802723&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Cataract-Canyon-296\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Colorado River loops back on itself before reaching the confluence with the Green and the start of Cataract Canyon in Canyonlands Utah as seen in mid-October 2021.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-296-300x196.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-296-1024x668.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" src=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-296.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2464\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-296.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-296-300x196.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-296-1024x668.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-296-1536x1002.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-296-1568x1023.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption>The Colorado River loops back on itself before reaching the confluence with the Green.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The water crisis that emerged in the Colorado Basin this year, when spring runoff largely failed to materialize, prompted the Bureau of Reclamation to repeatedly revise its projections to accommodate dropping levels in Lake Powell. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usbr.gov\/uc\/water\/crsp\/cs\/gcd.html\">latest report<\/a>, which was released last month, acknowledges that the Glen Canyon Dam may be unable to generate power as soon as next year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fiebig believes the water supply challenges could make previously ossified political assumptions more fluid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf we didn\u2019t have the threat of collapse,\u201d he said, \u201cwe probably wouldn\u2019t have the opportunity to change things for the better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Glen Canyon Institute, which has advocated for the decommissioning of the Glen Canyon Dam since the group\u2019s founding in 1996, sees the potential to bring ideas to the table that were once dismissed by water managers as radical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The institute has long pushed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.glencanyon.org\/fill-mead-first\/\">a proposal<\/a> to prioritize storage in Lake Mead over Lake Powell, which Scott Christensen, a board member for the Glen Canyon Institute and executive director of Greater Yellowstone Coalition, said makes sense from both the water management and conservation perspectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" data-attachment-id=\"2492\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-301\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-301.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1280\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Scott Christensen, a board member for the Glen Canyon Institute and executive director of Greater Yellowstone Coalition arrives at the confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers as he joins a trip hosted by the Returning Rivers Project.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635810014&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Cataract-Canyon-301\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Scott Christensen, a board member for the Glen Canyon Institute and executive director of Greater Yellowstone Coalition arrives at the confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers as he joins a trip hosted by the Returning Rivers Project.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-301-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-301-1024x683.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" src=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-301.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2492\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-301.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-301-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-301-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-301-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-301-1568x1045.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption>Scott Christensen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Given climate change and increasing demand for water in the Southwest, he said, \u201cit makes less and less sense to have two massive reservoirs in the middle of the desert.\u201d Efforts to prop up Lake Powell by draining upper-elevation reservoirs \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sltrib.com\/news\/environment\/2021\/07\/19\/feds-release-water-down\/\">a strategy that began this year<\/a> \u2014 will only delay the inevitable, he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWater shortages are no longer theoretical,\u201d Christensen said. \u201cIt\u2019s real. It\u2019s happening now, and people who depend on this watershed and who care about this river and these landscapes need to understand what\u2019s happening here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignfull size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1281\" data-attachment-id=\"2443\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-328\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-328.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1281\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Mud cracks along the shores of the Colorado River in Cataract Canyon as mountains of sediments are slowly washed away and beaches begin to return as Lake Powell recedes due to ongoing drought cycles.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635809555&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Cataract-Canyon-328\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Mud cracks along the shores of the Colorado River in Cataract Canyon as mountains of sediments are slowly washed away and beaches begin to return as Lake Powell recedes due to ongoing drought cycles.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-328-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-328-1024x683.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" src=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-328.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2443\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-328.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-328-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-328-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-328-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-328-1568x1046.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-dominy-formation\"><strong>The \u2018Dominy Formation\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When the science circus pulled into the mouth of Dark Canyon on the second to last day of the trip, everyone was talking about the so-called \u201cDominy Formation\u201d \u2014 an informal name for the reservoir sediment that nods to the controversial former commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation and prime mover behind Lake Powell and many other dam projects, Floyd Dominy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignfull size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" data-attachment-id=\"2438\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-414\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-414.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1440\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) The so-called Dominy Formation, clearly illustrated by high walls of sediment in Waterhole Canyon, one of the tributaries of the Colorado River in Cataract Canyon, are studied by a team of scientists during a recent trip as part of the Returning Rivers Project. The informal term is named after the controversial former commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, Floyd Dominy, who was the prime mover behind Lake Powell and many other Western dam projects.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635776776&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Cataract-Canyon-414\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) The so-called Dominy Formation, clearly illustrated by high walls of sediment in Waterhole Canyon, one of the tributaries of the Colorado River in Cataract Canyon, are studied by a team of scientists during a recent trip as part of the Returning Rivers Project. The informal term is named after the controversial former commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, Floyd Dominy, who was the prime mover behind Lake Powell and many other Western dam projects.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-414-300x225.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-414-1024x768.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" src=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-414.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2438\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-414.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-414-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-414-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-414-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-414-1568x1176.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption>The so-called Dominy Formation, clearly illustrated by high walls of sediment in Waterhole Canyon.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Accessing the bottom of Dark Canyon from the Colorado had been a difficult prospect for years, its lower miles mired in muck and confined to a narrow, tumbleweed-filled trench.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As recently as early August, the trench through the sediment emptied into a 50-foot deep river pool. After a series of powerful monsoon storms in the late summer, however, the canyon was completely transformed. Flash floods blasted sediment into the river, exposing the canyon bottom\u2019s original bedrock and widening the trench from 10 to 60 feet in spots. The deep river pool had completely filled in with mud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow alignfull\" data-autoplay=\"true\" data-delay=\"5\" data-effect=\"slide\"><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_container swiper-container\"><ul class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_swiper-wrapper swiper-wrapper\"><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1281\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-2432\" data-id=\"2432\" src=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-319.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-319.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-319-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-319-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-319-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-319-1568x1046.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Casey Root uses a GPS device to document the elevation at the highest signs of Lake Powell in Water Hole Canyon.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-2434\" data-id=\"2434\" src=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-416.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-416.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-416-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-416-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-416-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-416-1568x1176.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Cari Johnson and Jack Schmidt analyze the so-called Dominy Formation.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1281\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-2457\" data-id=\"2457\" src=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-320.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-320.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-320-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-320-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-320-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-320-1568x1046.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Brenda Bowen uses a portable x-ray fluorescence machine to analyze the geochemistry of sediments.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1269\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-2433\" data-id=\"2433\" src=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-374.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-374.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-374-300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-374-1024x677.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-374-1536x1015.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-374-1568x1036.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">A mountain of sediment along the Colorado River in Cataract Canyon, left behind by a receding Lake Powell.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-prev swiper-button-prev swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-next swiper-button-next swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a aria-label=\"Pause Slideshow\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-pause\" role=\"button\"><\/a><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_pagination swiper-pagination swiper-pagination-white\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Cari Johnson, a geology professor at the University of Utah, analyzed Dominy Formation beds in Waterhole Canyon on a trip last year. She was planning to do more work exploring how the deposits formed, but after seeing the changes in Dark Canyon and elsewhere, she realized she\u2019d need to expand the scope of her project to include erosion as well as deposition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s not eroding in the way that I thought it would,\u201d she said. \u201cWe could literally come back after one big storm and find something totally different.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignfull size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-attachment-id=\"2454\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/as-lake-powell-shrinks-the-colorado-river-is-coming-back-to-life\/cataract-canyon-418\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-418.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1440\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Francisco Kjolseth&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Sasha Reed, an ecologists with the United States Geologic Survey navigates a field of debris along the Colorado River in Cataract Canyon during a research trip to study the changes brought on by a receding Lake Powell as one of the planet\\u2019s ecosystems.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1635781710&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;\\u00a9 Franciscokjolseth2021&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Cataract-Canyon-418\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Sasha Reed, an ecologists with the United States Geologic Survey navigates a field of debris along the Colorado River in Cataract Canyon during a research trip to study the changes brought on by a receding Lake Powell as one of the planet\u2019s ecosystems.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-418-300x225.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-418-1024x768.jpg\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" src=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-418-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2454\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-418-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-418-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-418-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-418-1568x1176.jpg 1568w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-418.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Sasha Reed, an ecologist with the United States Geologic Survey navigates a field of debris in Cataract Canyon.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Being caught off guard by the speed of transformation in the area is a common refrain from those who visit Lake Powell often, whether they\u2019re cheering on the return of the river or mourning the loss of the redrock reservoir.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Essayist and Pulitzer Prize finalist Ellen Meloy wrote in 1995 about traveling across a nearly full Lake Powell amid waterlogged sofas and \u201cDorito-addicted carp.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFor conservationists,\u201d she wrote, \u201cGlen Canyon Dam was an act of gross vandalism. For others it is a monument to progress and human ingenuity, a recreation paradise, and economic boon, and for its energy supply, a necessity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A quarter century later, the dam is still seen as all of these things. But the reservoir behind it \u2014 in spite of, or perhaps because of, the exuberance of human ingenuity \u2014 is disappearing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow alignfull\" data-effect=\"slide\"><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_container swiper-container\"><ul class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_swiper-wrapper swiper-wrapper\"><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1408\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-2441\" data-id=\"2441\" src=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-440.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-440.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-440-300x220.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-440-1024x751.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-440-1536x1126.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-440-1568x1150.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Rachel Ellis, associate director Southwest River Protection Program<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1253\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-2520\" data-id=\"2520\" src=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-327.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-327.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-327-300x196.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-327-1024x668.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-327-1536x1002.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-327-1568x1023.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Meg Flynn, librarian and archivist and Chris Wilkowske, hydrologist USGS<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1281\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-2521\" data-id=\"2521\" src=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-365-1.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-365-1.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-365-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-365-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-365-1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-365-1-1568x1046.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Jack Schmidt, professor at Utah State University\u2019s Center for Colorado River Studies<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-2522\" data-id=\"2522\" src=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-388.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-388.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-388-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-388-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-388-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-388-1568x1176.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Sam Carter, producer of River Radius podcast<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-2523\" data-id=\"2523\" src=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-404.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-404.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-404-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-404-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-404-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-404-1568x1176.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Sasha Reed, ecologists USGS<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-2524\" data-id=\"2524\" src=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-406.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-406.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-406-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-406-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-406-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-406-1568x1176.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Peter Lefebvre, river guide, investigator for Returning Rapids project<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1284\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-2525\" data-id=\"2525\" src=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-fk-9789.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-fk-9789.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-fk-9789-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-fk-9789-1024x685.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-fk-9789-1536x1027.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-fk-9789-1568x1049.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Mike Fiebig, director Southwest River Protection at American Rivers<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1411\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-2531\" data-id=\"2531\" src=\"http:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-299.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-299.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-299-300x220.jpg 300w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-299-1024x753.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-299-1536x1129.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cataract-Canyon-299-1568x1152.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">RJ Johnson, geologist and veteran boatsman<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-prev swiper-button-prev swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-next swiper-button-next swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a aria-label=\"Pause Slideshow\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-pause\" role=\"button\"><\/a><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_pagination swiper-pagination swiper-pagination-white\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/KCQOXnP1zek?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u2014<em>\u2014 Several of the interviews used in this story were conducted in conjunction with Sam Carter\u2019s <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theriverradius.com\/\"><em>River Radius<\/em><\/a><em> podcast.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><em>Zak Podmore is a <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reportforamerica.org\/\">Report for America<\/a><em> corps member and writes about conflict and change in San Juan County for The Salt Lake Tribune. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by clicking <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sltrib.com\/reportforamerica\/\">here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Scientists studying the Colorado River are finding a quickly changing environment that\u2019s reminiscent of a life lived before the Glen Canyon Dam. By Zak Podmore | Photography by Francisco Kjolseth Cataract Canyon \u2022 When Mike DeHoff began leading river trips in the early 1990s, there was little ambiguity about where the Colorado River ended and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2440,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2429","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P7Cs4V-Db","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2429"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2429"}],"version-history":[{"count":50,"href":"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2429\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2534,"href":"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2429\/revisions\/2534"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2440"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/photos.sltrib.com\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2429"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}