Flooding of the Grand Canyon

First I agree that the Grand Canyon does need to have better management as it refers to the maintaining of it's natural diversity.  I do agree that there should be controlled flooding to help that.  However I do question the necessity of doing so during a drought.

"The Colorado River cascaded in a flood from the Glen Canyon Dam Monday (Nov. 19), the first step in an ongoing experiment to rebuild beaches and fish habitat in the iconic Grand Canyon.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar opened the dam's bypass tubes at noon Mountain Time, releasing a spectacular display of gushing water. The six-day flood started ramping up Sunday night (Nov. 18) at 11 p.m. MT, and the peak-flow of 42,000 cubic feet (1,189 cubic meters) per second is scheduled to last from 9 p.m. Monday night through 10 p.m. on Tuesday, according to a statement from the Bureau of Reclamation."

Already with farmers in California being forced to use less water, some of the water that is supposed to go to them  under the Colorado River Compact, may be lost through this program.  There has already been lawsuits to increase the water that various states are allowed to get from the Colorado River, however, Drought.  There isn't quite as much water as there used to be.

So I question the timing of this release, and it's consequences.  Is it being done because of environmentalist pressure?  And a whole host of other questions.

What say you?