The Grand Canyon

Arizona, U.S.A.

Weater/Climate• Summer– The North Rim is fairly cool because of elevation– The South Rim has pleasant tempuratures– The Inner canyon can reach up to around 105°F

• Winter– The North Rim closes due to heavy snow– General conditions are extreme

• Spring/Fall– Be prepared for a variety of conditions; cold/rainy

Landforms

• The Grand Canyon is– 277 miles long– 18 miles wide– And a mile deep

Waterways

• The Colorado River is an 1450 mile long river that is within the Canyon

• The River over millions of years carved out the Canyon to what it is today

Vegetation

• The supreme diversity– 1737 known species of plants– 167 species of fungi– 64 species of moss– 195 species of lichen– 129 plant communities

Animals

• The Grand Canyon is home to many different animals– Amphibians, birds, crustaceans, fish, insects,

insects, mammals, mollusks, and reptiles

• The Grand Canyon contains every habitat except a tundra

• Because of the large land preserved, it is deemed a valuable reserve.

Environmental Issues

• Nearby factories emit sulfur dioxide and causes smog, decreasing the air quality

• Dams has become an issue as well, ruining natural habitats

• And like most parks, there are some endangered species

History

• Paleo-Hunters hunted around the Grand Canyon around 10,000 years ago.– A pot was found and was carbon dated to around

4000 years ago

• The Navajos settled around it at around the 1,300s

• John Wesley Powell and 9 men rafted the Colorado River in 1869

• Mining began in the 1870s and 1880s for lead, zinc, asbestos, and copper

Preservation Efforts

• In September 1991 the Grand Canyon Trust and the owners of the Navajo Generating Station made an agreement to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions

• In 1997, Congress chose certain areas to have a high degree of attention to the air to reduce pollution. The Grand Canyon was one of them.

• And of course, park rangers tell the visitors to avoid wild animals to keep them natural.