Despite a decade of trying, few attempts have succeeded in trying to mimic the natural conditions erased by construction of Glen Canyon dam, which supplies water and electricity to millions of people. Endangered fish continue to disappear, habitat erodes almost as fast as it is rebuilt and interloping fish and plants find new ways to thrive.
The river’s health as it flows through the Grand Canyon is the focus of a 10-year-old programme created after environmental studies uncovered deteriorating conditions caused by Glen Canyon Dam.