I just received some interesting info regarding some changes in the Canyon. Primarily the (man) changes were needed due to natures changes.
A new take out ramp and road was put in at Pierce Ferry due to the lowering water level in Lake Mead. Once the water level started lowering (a few years ago) the river started cutting into the silt at Pierce Ferry and the new Pierce Ferry rapid started forming. A huge ledge hole rapid was formed and last year a motorized 30 ft raft flipped in the hole.

With the new road and ramp (costing $1,000,000) it looks like the Federal Gov. believes Lake Mead will never fill up again.

Photos of the new class V rapid.
http://www.rrfw.org/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=27

Don

Primarily the (man) changes were needed due to natures changes.

I DO so love a good typo...and since YOU hassled Trex this week for one, Don...well...

In my experience, "men" change only when they want to, not when they're "needed" to do so.

;-0

pre

In my experience, "men" change only when they want to, not when they're "needed" to do so.

In this case it is dubious whether man (used representing "mankind", which consists of both men[plural] and women [plural] and previously cited) should really be building a ramp and road for $1,000,000.

The first flash flood will probably remove the new ramp and return silt to levels that will inundate the complement of new construction.(yes I do understand the difference Kirbert)

Mother Nature will some day return the canyons to their previous glory, silt up Lake Powell, and Mead and the dams will be breached.

In the meantime the new ramp and road merely allows a takeout upstream of the new class V rapid so that river runners that have less expertise and commercial river runners do not have to run this rapid. Pretty pricey for elimination of "lining" a rapid.

Now all of this work was paid for, not from fees associated only with the river running community, but from all entrance fees to the Grand Canyon NP.

Yes I know, more info than you wanted, but certainly shows some of the thought processes of the NPS.

Don