PAGE — On July 1, 2022, juvenile smallmouth bass were found in the Colorado River below the Glen Canyon Dam. Smallmouth bass are a predatory non-native fish that have adversely impacted native and federally protected fish in the upper basin of the Colorado River over the last 20 years. The National Park Service (NPS) is working closely with partners and stakeholders to coordinate rapid response actions to address this finding in accordance with previously approved management plans.
Lower lake levels at Lake Powell and rising temperatures in the Colorado River have increased concerns that non-native, warm-water predators, including smallmouth bass, could pass through the dam and begin reproducing. If these warm-water predators establish populations below the dam, it is likely they would negatively impact native fish communities in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and in Grand Canyon National Park.
The NPS encourages anglers to report any observations or catches of smallmouth bass below the dam. If caught, please remove the fish, put on ice and contact staff at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area or Grand Canyon National Park with a description of the location where found. Report findings to: Jeff Arnold, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, jeff_arnold@nps.gov or Brian Healy, Grand Canyon National Park, brian_healy@nps.gov.
For more information please visit:
- Nonnative Fish – Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
- Addressing Challenges to Native Fishes – Grand Canyon National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
— Grand Canyon National Park, in northern Arizona, encompasses 278 miles (447 km) of the Colorado River and adjacent uplands. Located on the ancestral homeland of 11 Associated Tribes, Grand Canyon is one of the most spectacular examples of erosion anywhere in the world—unmatched in the incomparable vistas it offers visitors on the rim. Grand Canyon National Park is a World Heritage Site. The National Park Service cares for the special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage.