HYDROPOWER, ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT, AND BIODIVERSITY

Adaptive management is a policy framework within which an iterative pr ocess of decision making is followed based on the observed responses t o and effectiveness of previous decisions. The use oi adaptive managem ent allows science-based research and monitoring of natural resource a nd ecological community responses, in conjunction with societal values and goals, to guide decisions concerning man's activities. The adapti ve management process has been proposed for application to hydropower operations at Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River, a situation that requires complex balancing oi natural resources requirements and compe ting human uses. This example is representative of the general increas e in public interest in the operation of hydropower facilities and pos sible effects on downstream natural resources and of the growing confl icts between uses and users of river-based resources. This paper descr ibes the adaptive management process, using the Glen Canyon Dam exampl e, and discusses ways to make the process work effectively in managing downstream natural resources and biodiversity.