Quantifying geomorphic and vegetation change at sandbar campsites in response to flow regulation and controlled floods, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Sandbar campsites along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park, used by over 25,000 visitors annually, have shrunk by 37% between 2002 and 2016 due to flow regulation from Glen Canyon Dam. While controlled floods temporarily increase sandbar size, long-term campsite area declines because of erosion between floods and vegetation expansion, particularly in noncritical reaches. Critical reaches experience more erosion and slope change than noncritical ones. The study quantified these changes using aerial imagery and digital elevation models, revealing that manual vegetation removal may be necessary for future management to stabilize campsite areas.

Hadley, D. R., Grams, P. E., & Kaplinski, M. A. (2018). Quantifying geomorphic and vegetation change at sandbar campsites in response to flow regulation and controlled floods, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. River Research and Applications, 34(9), 1208–1218. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.3349