University of Delaware Office of Public Relations The Messenger Vol. 5, No. 3/1996 UD geologist assists in historic flooding James E. Pizzuto, associate professor of geology, visited the Grand Canyon in April, but, he wasn't there as a typical tourist. Pizzuto was a key member of the 200-person scientific team that undertook an historic, planned flooding of the Canyon. For the first time ever, massive volumes of water were used for environmental restoration instead of irrigation or power generation. "In the river business, there has never been anything done like this," Pizzuto says of the U.S. government-funded experiment, which was 15 years and $60 million research dollars in the making. "This will have a major impact on our most famous national park." The experiment's primary purpose was to protect cultural and environmental resources and revitalize backwater habitats of the Colorado River. Additional objectives were the redeposition of sand bars at higher elevations, the preservation and restoration of camping beaches, the reduction of near-shore vegetation and improved safety. "The flooding was an attempt to allow the Grand Canyon's ecosystem to more closely resemble its natural state," Pizzuto says. Pizzuto's specific area of work, on the experiment's "boulder transport team," included measuring, mapping and surveying 60 large boulders that were to be transported along the canyon by the flood waters. These boulders, considered dangerous to rafters on the Colorado River, were supposed to be deposited in safer locations via the force of 117 billion gallons of water. Pizzuto described the flooding, which he witnessed from nearby Glen Canyon Dam, as "awesome." Instruments used by the team indicated that the boulders moved one-half mile to the bottom of the rapids, Pizzuto says, proving that the team could determine when the boulders will move and where they will go. The team's goal, however, is to use another flood to move the boulders to a pool downstream, making the rapids safer for rafting enthusiasts. The seven-day flooding, from late March until early April, was followed closely and covered by the PBS television network. The Tucson PBS affiliate, which sent crews to the Grand Canyon to cover the experiment's proceedings, will feature the events in an upcoming broadcast. Courses Pizzuto teaches at the University also are benefiting from his Grand Canyon experience. "The experiment has generated a lot of ideas for me to work with my students," he says, specifically pointing to a discussion of environmental restoration of rivers. The experiment's success may lead to other engineered floods in the future, Pizzuto says. "This has produced unprecedented data. Other experiments may happen as a result of the Grand Canyon flooding." -Jaret Lyons, Delaware '96