PAGE, Arizona — Lake Powell has fallen to the lowest level in its history, placing one of the West’s most important water and electricity sources dangerously close to losing its ability to generate hydropower.
The reservoir dropped to 3,519.91 feet above sea level Saturday, slightly below its previous record from April 2023, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Lake Powell is now more than 20 feet lower than it was at the start of the year and roughly 30 feet above the level at which Glen Canyon Dam’s turbines can no longer produce electricity.
The milestone comes just over a week after Lake Mead also reached a record low. Together, the reservoirs are storing less water than at any point since 1957, before Lake Powell existed.
The Colorado River supplies water to more than 40 million people across seven states and supports major agricultural, tribal and urban economies. Persistent overuse has combined with a record-dry winter and rising temperatures to sharply reduce runoff into the system. Reuters reported this spring that April-to-July inflows into Lake Powell were projected at just 13% of average after historically poor Rocky Mountain snowpack.
Federal officials have already proposed a new 10-year management plan that could require significant reductions in Colorado River use by Arizona, California and Nevada after years of unsuccessful negotiations among the basin states.
The falling reservoir is also disrupting tourism, forcing marinas and boat ramps to relocate as shorelines continue retreating.
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