Can The Grand Canyon Withstand Man-Made Threats?

For many, Grand Canyon National Park stands as a sanctuary of sorts–a place where one can evade the hustle and bustle of modern city life, and enjoy the peace and quiet of the natural world in its untainted glory. But, as the Grand Canyon has become a site for tourists galore, how will it retain its innate grandeur and beauty? And for how long?

The National Parks Conservation Association conducted a study of Grand Canyon National Park, and determined that the park itself is deteriorating as a result of man-made threats.

Some factors contributing to the decline of the Grand Canyon’s natural wonders include global climate change, mining, airplane flyovers, and poor management of the Colorado River. Let’s break it down in terms of how each factor is affecting the Grand Canyon.

Global Climate Change: Many scientists agree that in Southwest areas, extreme levels of drought are bound to occur. As a result, the Park’s river and its habitats will be directly affected.

Mining: Uranium mining is a direct threat to the region’s water sources–all of which are extremely important to the surrounding areas. David Nimkin, the regional director of the National Parks Conservation Association in the southwest explains in the CNN article,”In this very dry region, all the water is so crucial to wildlife and human life, and the impact of uranium mining on the seeps and streams, surface water and groundwater is quite significant.”

Airplane Flyovers: As cool as flyovers of the Grand Canyon may be, it’s significant to note that they come at the expense of the animals that inhabit the canyon. The noise created by overhead airplanes causes some animals to be unable to hear their prey, thus disrupting their mating habits.

Poor Management of the Colorado River: According to the CNN article, management decisions of the Colorado River upstream have led to negative impacts on the wildlife downstream. The National Parks Conservation Association argues that modifying water flow from Glen Canyon Dam could “help restore natural and cultural resources within Grand Canyon National Park.”

From CNN:

Nimkin warns without action, conditions at Grand Canyon National Park will continue to decline.

“If we don’t really address the problems of soundscape, water contamination from mining and we don’t use the science that clearly demonstrates how the river can be managed in ways that provides a balance for multiple users then we’re going to lose one of the most incredible landscapes that we have in our country,” he said.

The report calls for increased financial support from the federal government is needed to maintain the park experience for visitors and to plan for the future of the Grand Canyon National Park.

[Via: CNN]

[Photo Via: B Rosen]