New research identifies abundant endangered fish below waterfall in San Juan River

Prolonged drought and increased water use in the southwest United States have led to shrinking reservoirs and the emergence of natural features that are affecting endangered species and river recreation. One feature, a waterfall known as the Piute Farms Waterfall, has formed in an area upstream of Lake Powell where the San Juan River serves as a border between the Navajo Nation to the south and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area to the north. Since the late 1980’s, this waterfall formed from interactions among reservoir levels and sedimentation that redirected the San Juan River over a 20-foot high sandstone ledge. Until recently, little was known about its effect on two endangered fishes.