Splashing into Science

Citizen & Community Science Projects with Grand Canyon Youth

Science at Scale

Many plant and animal species call Grand Canyon National Park home.

Clockwise from the top left: Canyon wren, pallid bat, humpback chub, collared lizard, and razorback suckers.

GCY Citizen & Community Science

That's where Grand Canyon Youth comes in.


Aquatic Insect Monitoring

Using light traps to measure insect populations along the Colorado River

"Giving Bugs the Weekend Off"

As a result of this research, the Glen Canyon Dam started using experimental “ Bug Flows ” on the weekends in summer 2018-2020. Water was released at a low, steady flow from the dam, keeping insects’ eggs underwater and helping them survive into adulthood.

Preliminary results have found that Bug Flows increased the emergence of midges and populations of caddisflies, important food sources for other animals in the canyon.

GCY staff and youth examine aquatic insects in a jar.

The Bug Flow experiment is ongoing, but it's an important example of the difference that citizen & community science efforts can make for youth, scientists, and the natural world.


To learn more about GCY's citizen & community science partnership with USGS, check out the video, links, and sources below!

Citizen Science in Grand Canyon

Links

GCY staff and youth examine aquatic insects in a jar.