PAGE, Ariz. – The U.S. Department of the Interior will trigger the first "high-flow experimental release" at Glen Canyon Dam since 2008 on Monday, November 19. The release is part of a new long-term protocol announced in May by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar to meet water and power needs, as well as to allow better conservation of sediment downstream, more targeted efforts to control non-native fish predation, and continued scientific experimentation, data collection, and monitoring to better address the important resources in the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam.

In cooperation with five Interior agencies, the upcoming release is designed to take full advantage of sediment deposited by Colorado River tributaries as a result of recent rainstorms and monsoons. Scientists have determined that the right conditions exist to conduct a high-flow release to benefit downstream resources, including camping beaches, sandbars, backwater habitats, riparian vegetation, and archeological sites.

The total maximum release from the dam will reach approximately 42,300 cubic-feet-per-second, consisting of 27,300 cfs of full powerplant capacity releases and a bypass release through the four river outlet tubes sending an additional 15,000 cfs of water out over the Colorado River in a spectacular visual display. The total duration of the high-flow release will be nearly five days including 24 hours at the peak release.

Who: Senior Department of the Interior and Agency Officials

What: High-Flow Experimental Water Release from Glen Canyon Dam

When: Monday, November 19, 2012

• Security screening will take place from 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. at the Carl Hayden Visitor Center
• The program will begin at 11:00 a.m.
• The bypass flow will begin at noon

Where: Glen Canyon Dam, Page, Arizona

RSVP: Glen Canyon Dam is a National Critical Infrastructure facility. Notification of special coverage requests must be made prior to the event and members of the media must RSVP no later than November 14, 2012, in order to undergo a required security clearance process. Please RSVP to: Lisa Iams, Bureau of Reclamation Public Affairs Office, 801-524-3673 (office); 801-891-3951 (cell), liams@usbr.gov.