Project Profile: Assess Climate Change Effects on Colorado River National Parks to Inform River Management Planning

Horseshoe Bend, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Horseshoe Bend is an entrenched meander south of Glen Canyon Dam. Near-vertical joints cut through the exposed sandstone and are easily visible in the rocks.

NPS / Brett & Dawn Davis

Inflation Reduction Act
Resilience | FY24-25 $2,522,986

Climate change is rapidly impacting National Park Service (NPS) units on the Colorado River, necessitating proactive planning to safeguard vital resources. The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) is initiating a planning process post-2026, which will reevaluate dam operations, directly impacting the rivers and reservoirs in multiple parks. To inform these decisions, NPS will quantify the impacts on priority park resources through Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments (CCVAs).

Why? The significance of the Colorado River as a harbinger of climate change impacts necessitates urgent action. Recent years have witnessed unprecedented declines in water flow, with projections indicating further reductions. NPS must understand the impacts to protect over 1000 miles of river and shoreline. Collaborating with USGS and university researchers, NPS will utilize finer-resolution modeling to quantify impacts on resources like water quality, vegetation, wildlife, and recreation. Failure to act could lead to permanent impairment of park units affecting extensive river corridors and shorelines.

What Else? This project is crucial for informing long-range planning decisions by NPS and BOR. Through CCVAs, different alternatives for mitigating impacts on natural riverine processes, air and water quality, wildlife habitats, and recreational opportunities can be assessed. Models will guide decisions on proactive flow regimes to protect resources and inform alternatives that minimize adverse impacts into the future. The project aligns with NPS and DOI priorities to confront the climate crisis and conserve natural resources. Additionally, it supports the Justice 40 initiative by engaging disadvantaged communities and Tribes reliant on the Colorado River.

About the Inflation Reduction Act

The Inflation Reduction Act provides the National Park Service with an historic opportunity to address critical ecosystem resilience, restoration, and environmental planning needs. Projects funded in national parks represent broad-scale and impactful resource investments across every corner of our nation—from Alaska to Florida to Maine.