Humpback Chub Management in the Grand Canyon

The humpback chub (Gila cypha), found only in the Colorado River Basin, is a long lived fish that has adapted to historically turbulent waters of the Colorado River.  Today, only six populations of humpback chub are known to exist, the largest of which resides in the Grand Canyon.  Alteration of habitat and introduction of nonnative fish species have contributed to the decline of the population placing them on the Federal list of endangered species in 1967, and today are listed as “endangered” under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.   Management actions to recover this species include:  modified dam operations of Glen Canyon Dam, nonnative fish control, and translocation efforts.   Today, Grand Canyon humpback chub numbers appear to be on the rise, but whether this success is a result of a particular management action, a combination of management actions, or other natural factors is uncertain.  This presentation will address past, present, and future management actions and the challenges associated with those actions.