his is Joe Pollock. You may have met me passing out the Adopt-a-Beach (aab) packets at the gts over the last couple of years, or at other gcrg functions. I want to give an update on this year’s Adopt-a-Beach goings-on, as well as an idea of what to expect for next year, Adopt-a-Beach’s tenth year!!
The fact that computers are an everyday tool for practically every aspect of our lives has not escaped the world of Adopt-a-Beach. We will continue to use the “analog” or “real” film format that we always have. We are, however, continuing to scan the film into a computer to stay abreast of our digital archive. This year will denote the first year that the beach photo analysis will be done almost exclusively on a computer screen, where access to the past years’ photos can make comparisons straightforward. The work toward making the archive easily readable on the aab website is going forward with the continuing help of our webmaster, Chris Geanious. Currently I am taking an idea Kate Thompson has to develop a “flip-book” of photos for each beach on the computer with time, date and water level information. This will hopefully turn into a resource for not only researchers, but also river runners and anyone interested in the downstream effects of Glen Canyon Dam in the Grand Canyon.
Expect the publication of the results from the analysis of 2004 photos and datasheets later this year, both on our website (http://www.gcrg.org/aab/ab.htm) and through the Winter issue of the bqr. One comment I’ve seen from a number of adopters is that vegetation encroachment is getting pervasive. These are welcome comments, as are any observations about the state of the beaches. If there are changing conditions, like the increase in vegetation, that relate to the usability of the beaches, please feel free to make use of the datasheets to explain what you see. This is a great opportunity to record the your views, and it may well lead to a better understanding of what we can do to improve the management of Glen Canyon Dam.
One of the reasons for the establishment and continuance of aab is that it provides an independent and thorough review of the state of the beaches in the Canyon. An area I intend to explore is the connection between aab and other research programs like the sand bar studies done by the Namdors through nau and the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center. This Spring, Matt Kaplinski from nau once again gave a great presentation at the gts. He and his co-workers assembled an astonishing amount of data and one graph in particular caught my attention. The graph shows a general decrease in the volume of sand in sandbars in Marble Canyon. This much everyone knows. The thing that caught my eye was the similarity between the information presented in their graph and the graph that Kate Thompson assembled for last Fall’s bqr article. It look as though the two programs corroborate each other’s information quite nicely.
This year’s adopters may want to know that you are participating in a critical time in the program. It is, again, Adopt-a-Beach’s tenth year, and one of the reasons of the program’s formation was the Beach Habitat Building Flow (bhbf) of 1996. The release of last November’s bhbf of over 40,000 cfs marks the first time since 1996 that the Canyon has seen such a tremendous release. One of my own observations made this year after the test flow was the effect of the 5–20,000 cfs High Fluctuating Flows (aka trout suppression flows) and what a good camping area this made at several locations. With the water up to only 17,500, the 20,000 level seems like an easy bench to make use of at several locations. Be assured that this year’s photos and datasheets will be analyzed with a unique historical perspective.
We would like to recognize all the of adopters from 2004 and 2005. Thanks to all of you that make this program what it is. My apologies for any exclusions in the lists below. Special thanks to Brian Hansen and Greg Woodall for taking pre-season photos earlier this year, as well as adopters who make a special effort to adopt the same beaches year-in, year-out. This lends a consistency and perspective that is greatly appreciated. I look forward to hearing from all of you!

Joe Pollock

A Call for E-mails

As mentioned in the Adopt-a-Beach update, computers are touching every aspect of our lives. If you have an email address, please let Lynn know what it is and we’ll keep you informed of dam releases, canyon district incident reports, events, classes and other items of interest to river guides. This is the best and most instantaneous way for gcrg to keep in touch with the guiding community. So, email us at gcrg@infomagic.net and let us know that you’d like to be added to our guide email list. We would love to include you!

Adopt-a-Beach 2004

11.0R—Soap Creek Brenton White
12.2L—Salt Wash Robert & Celia Southwick, & Greg Woodall
16.0 L—Hot Na Na Okie Jones
19.1L—19 Mile Kevin Johnson
20.4R—North Canyon Charly Heavenrich
23.0L—23 Mile O’C Dale
29.3L—Silver Grotto Shoshanna Jensen
34.7L—Lower & Middle Melissa Pearce, Kristin
Nautiloid Downing
37.7L—Tatahatso John Toner
38.3L—Bishop (Martha’s) Nikolle Brown, Bert Jones
41.0R—Buck Farm Duffy Dale
75.6L—Nevils Nathan Jordan
76.6L—Hance Okie Jones, Larry Hopkins
81.3L—Grapevine Kate Thompson, John Toner
84.0R—Clear Creek Johnny Janssen
84.5L—Zoroaster Jodi Leach
91.6R—Trinity Andre Potochnik
96.1L—Schist Camp Greg Woodall, Tim Quigley, Scott Davis, Sally Ballinger
96.7L—Boucher Erika Anderssen
98.0R—Crystal Kerstin Jones
99.7L—Lower Tuna Walker Mackay
107.8L—Ross Wheeler Bob Dye
108.3R—Bass Ote Dale
109.4R—110 Mile Emily Dale
114.3R—Upper Garnet Jason Mackelprang
114.5R—Lower Garnet Jason Mackelprang
131.1R—Below Bedrock Lynn Myers
132.0R—Stone Creek Michael Ghiglieri, Greg Woodall
133.0L—Talking Heads John Toner, Jessica Cortright
133.5R—Racetrack Jacob Sack
133.7R—Lower Tapeats Mathieu Brown
134.6L—Owl Eyes Charly Heavenrich
137.0L—Backeddy Jeff Touchette
143.2R—Kanab Jed Koller
145.6L—Olo Evan Tea
148.5L—Matkat Hotel Christina Parker, Greg Woodall
155.7R—Last Chance David Desrosiers
164.5R—Tuckup Kristin Huisinga
166.4L—Upper National Larry Hopkins, Paul Smolenyak
166.6L—Lower National Mike Long
230.0L—Travertine Falls Wayne Peterson, Art Thevenin
236.0R—Gneiss Camp Kyle George

Adopt-a-Beach 2005
11.0R—Soap Creek Jeff Sorensen
12.2L—Salt Wash Robert & Celia Southwick
19.1L—19 Mile Kevin Johnson
20.4R—North Canyon Charly Heavenrich, Laura Fallon
23.0L—23 Mile Ed Hench, O’C Dale
29.3L—Silver Grotto Adam Elliot
34.7L—Lower & Middle Melissa & Travis Pearce
Nautiloid
37.7L—Tatahatso Aaron Beck
38.3L—Bishop (Martha’s) Ariel Neill
41.0R—Buck Farm Nancy Helin
75.6L—Nevils Walker Mackay
76.6L—Hance Matt Fahey
81.3L—Grapevine Travis Winn
84.0R—Clear Creek Alexis Kimball
91.6R—Trinity Marieke Taney
96.1L—Schist Camp Rob Tee
98.0R—Crystal Shana Watahomigie
107.8L—Ross Wheeler Bob Dye, Jeff Sorensen, Ruth Ann Ratay
108.3R—Bass Jared Weaver
109.4R—110 Mile Tex Callaway
114.3R—Upper Garnet Kelly VanDenBerg
114.5R—Lower Garnet Erika Feinauer
131.1R—Below Bedrock Lena Bain/gcy
132.0R—Stone Creek Michael Ghiglieri
133.0L—Talking Heads Jessica Cortright
133.5R—Racetrack Susan Detering
133.7R—Lower Tapeats Jan Sullivan
134.6L—Owl Eyes Charly Heavenrich
137.0L—Backeddy Jeff Sorensen, Dave Loeffler
143.2R—Kanab Alan Neil
145.6L—Olo Brad Dimock
155.7R—Last Chance Bert Jones
164.5R—Tuckup Kristin Huisinga
166.4L—Upper National Robyn Janssen
166.6L—Lower National Greg Books
230.0L—Travertine Falls Wayne Peterson
236.0R—Gneiss Camp Kyle George, Matt Robinson