Joye Ray should be careful whom she calls stupid (“Releasing water in surges requires knowing its impact downstream,” Public Forum, April 6). The very purpose of controlled releases from Glen Canyon Dam was to erode stream banks and re-establish new beaches and sandbars, just as the Colorado River has done for millennia before being harnessed by man. This is necessary for the myriad species that call the Grand Canyon home.
According to dam managers, “Using dam operations to create a flood that mimics pre-dam natural flooding in the watershed, the sediment carried and deposited downstream in Grand Canyon National Park will build sandbars that provide key wildlife habitat for animals and fish, create recreational opportunities for the public, and protect archaeological resources.