Glen Canyon Dam...is it really necessary?
             Aldo Leopold said in his Land Ethic that something is right when it preserves the beauty, integrity and prosperity of the biotic community. Something is therefore wrong when it does not do these things for the biotic community. Leopold also said that the land should not be used for economic gain because the value of the land was more philosophical rather than tangible. This ethic clearly supports the idea that the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell Reservoir are unnecessary and the natural beauty of Glen Canyon should be restored.
             Glen Canyon, better known as the heart of the Colorado Plateau, is in total about 186 miles of the most amazing, breathtaking canyons in the world. A photographer by the name of Tad Nichols once said, "a voyage through Glen Canyon was one of the great American wilderness experiences", (Nichols, 1999 p.3). Glen Canyon is also the home of the Colorado River and its awesome power. In the days before the Lake Powell reservoir, Glen Canyon was teaming with wildlife, natural wonders and priceless historic evidence.
             The sandy river banks gave way to orange rocks, cottonwood trees, willows, and numerous varieties of shrubs. The oak trees made comfortable homes for the flocks of Blue Heron that lived in the canyon. Tributaries and side streams were the places to find beavers and their intricate lodges. Deer, raccoons, mice, ringtail, lizards, along with other animals shared this canyon environment and called it home. The river harbored native fish species like the razorback sucker and the humpback chub. The river would also employ periodic floods to naturally wash away and debris or dead plants. This process was necessary to keep the natural beauty of the canyon sustained.
             The beauty of the canyon is unmistakable. It is littered with awe inspiring natural wonders that are considered spiritual places and invoke intense emotional experiences. Cathe...