The January 2023 24-Month Study probable maximum and the February 2023 24-Month Study probable minimum inflow scenarios were used to determine the range of probable outcomes. The picture was much different 59 years ago, when the giant storage reservoir on the Colorado River was filling, its electricity helping power the West and the revenue from its power sales helping fund endangered fish protection programs across the Colorado River Basin. Because the 2022 operations were designed to protect critical elevations at Lake Powell, Reclamation will implement Lower Elevation Balancing Tier operations in a way that continues to protect these critical elevations, or preserves the benefits of the 2022 operations to protect Lake Powell, in water year 2023. Projections at Lake Mead show there is a chance as high as 66% that water levels will decline to 1,025 feet by 2025, triggering a Tier 3 Shortage. The forecast isnt great, said Kyle Whitaker, Colorado River Manager for the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, one of the largest diverters of water in the headwaters region of the river. DATE MEASURED ELEVATION CHANGE CONTENT INFLOW OUTFLOW HIGH TEMP LOW TEMP WATER TEMP . google_color_border = "FFFFFF"; On April 8, Reclamation announced it would likely keep more water in Lake Powell, reducing releases from the planned 7.5 million acre-feet to 7 million acre-feet, a move that could trigger emergency water cutbacks in Arizona, California and Nevada. The unregulated inflow volume to Lake Powell during January was 361 thousand acre-feet (kaf) (107 percent of average). Antelope Point Launch Ramp Bullfrog Main Launch Ramp In January, following the wet December Moser noted, the NOAA forecast called for 98% of the 30-year average to reach Powell. Telling stories that matter in a dynamic, evolving state. google_color_bg = "FFFFFF"; google_ad_width = 160; //-->, Printable Version Across most of the streams and rivers of the Upper Basin, forecasted runoff ranges from very poor (50% of average) to mediocre (80% of average).. Lund said he expects water use in the basin to have "capped out," but the reservoir can't continue to supply water at the pace in which the area consumes it. 15 Day Weather Forecast Credit: Alex Hager. google_ad_type = "text_image"; Dry conditions and falling water levels were unmistakable in the image from April 13, 2003. The most recent data is from Monday, February 27th, 2023. Jerd Smith is editor of Fresh Water News. Soil moisture conditions have improved over the last year across most of Colorados Western Slope, but thats not necessarily saying much because of how bad soil moisture conditions were heading into last years snowmelt runoff season, Moser said. https://www.usbr.gov/newsroom/news-release/4294, https://www.usbr.gov/newsroom/#/news-release/4196, USGS site #09180500 - Colorado River near Cisco, UT, USGS site #09315000 - Green River at Green River, UT, USGS site #09379500 - San Juan River near Bluff, UT, USGS site #09380000 - Colorado River at Lees Ferry, AZ, Snowpack Conditions Upper Colorado Region Above Lake Powell, Lake Powell Inflow Forecast April-July Inflow Forecast, Current Water Year Inflow Forecast Monthly Outlooks, Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program, LTEMP - Long-Term Experimental & Management Plan, Report to Congress - Operations of Glen Canyon Dam - Water Year 2015-2016, National Park Service Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, National Park Service Grand Canyon National Park, U.S. water-data.com Lake Powell Water Database. SW Satellite Weather Feet above sea level Change - Feet difference over previous . Lake Powell has several launch ramps along its 186-mile length. Lake Powell Water Supply Outlook, February 1, 2022 Note: This publication is scheduled for revision. A Tier 3 shortage would impact the amount of . She can be reached at 720-398-6474, via email atjerd@wateredco.orgor @jerd_smith. Climate change also plays a part. A Colorado River flows drop and tensions rise, water interests struggle Can the Ancient Humpback Chub Hang On in Todays Grand Canyon? 159 0 obj <> endobj The Colorado Sun is a journalist-owned, award-winning news outlet based in Denver that strives to cover all of Colorado so that our state our community can better understand itself. . Even in low emission climate scenarios (forecasts that are based on the assumption that future carbon dioxide emissions will increase relatively slowly), models predict precipitation may decline by 20-25 percent over most of California, southern Nevada, and Arizona by the end of this century. Together with the release of more water into Lake Powell from an upstream dam, the decision will keep the lake at a level at which it can continue generating hydropower for the next 12 months. 175 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<68753438768B134985CC80C922059B30>]/Index[159 34]/Info 158 0 R/Length 84/Prev 199590/Root 160 0 R/Size 193/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream @) .=] j Bvq2 4=B4[YCO@p/e`5[ #("A3?M|Cd(Jje(B_il:.\7m=.{CZ&&q5O}NOB6jGptUEN1Dh'6dW30oLqmt1W#F/qy<5aJ5 LuQmB(JD'4z`9q#v k[ T Detailed Map of Powell Glen Canyon Dam currently maintains 30 mw (approximately 800 cfs) of generation capacity in reserve in order to respond to a system emergency even when generation rates are already high. 15 Day Weather Forecast What's the weather forecast for 2050? hb```)," As air warms over time, less precipitation makes it to the reservoirs due to evaporation. Part of the Glen Canyon Conservancy Family, Utah D.O.T Charles Hall Ferry for UT Route 276. WEco is funded by multiple donors. google_ad_format = "160x600_as"; Late last fall WAPA, which operates the electric grid and distributes the power to utilities, raised rates 30% to cover reductions in power revenue. The model is based on weather conditions over a thirty-year span. This includes directly interviewing sources and research / analysis of primary source documents. View CFS Last 14 Measurements Lake Powell is down -1.03 feet over these measurements Averages for February 27th Last 10 February 27th's data records We have to take a strong look at what we will do in the unlikely event that Lake Powell stops producing hydropower, said WAPAs Meiman. It took decades for Lake Powell to reach catastrophically low levels, and according to one expert . However, the Bureau of Reclamation's 24-month forecast that was just released at the end of last week projects Lake Mead to be at 1,041.10 feet in January 2023. The basin states, in a response letter, expressed concern that the water level of Lake Powell would decline below critical elevations, making the dam inoperable. Close Become a member Login My Account Logout Search for:Search News Education Health Coloradans Equity Sun Investigation Crime and Courts Culture Sports In the latter half of the decade, the drought eased somewhat. The critical issue is how to maintain the lake at 3,525, which marks an elevation that is the top of the liquid buffer zone designed to protect the lakes mighty electricity turbines. Changes in the northeastern reaches of Lake Powell are documented in this series of natural-color images taken by the Landsat series of satellites between 1999 and 2021. Lund said that throughout the reservoir's history, it has refilled to its original levels just once. The modeling approach for WY 2023 will apply to 2024. Arizona Public Radio | Your Source for NPR News, PublishedFebruary 28, 2022 at 5:00 AM MST. "This is probably the largest reservoir system in the country in terms of storage. The March 2023 releases are anticipated to fluctuate between a low of 5,276 cfs to a high of 9,641 cfs. The Colorado River cuts through dry land that was once covered by Lake Powell on September 7, 2022, near Hite, Utah. To view the most current reservoir elevation projections, click on: Lake Powell Elevation Projections. and last updated 5:24 PM, Sep 24, 2021. A 59% flow into Powell translates to about 3.8 million acre-feet. At the beginning of water year 2023, total system storage in the Colorado River Basin was 19.54 maf (33 percent of 58.48 maf total system capacity). 0 Global warming is expected to make droughts more severe in the future. The lake is set to reach. Its better than last year, but well just have to see what the next two to four weeks holds for precipitation.. By Anna Skinner On 1/18/23 at 4:42 PM EST. To view the most current monthly release projections, click on: Lake Powell Release Projections. Differences between the full period forecasts and the residual forecasts may not exactly equal the actual observed volumes due to rounding conventions (see Definitions section). KNAUs Melissa Sevigny reports. We are 37% through the Water Year. This was the lowest water levels have been since the lake was first constructed in the 1930s. Projections of end of water year 2023 elevation using the February minimum and January maximum inflow forecast results are 3,544.04 feet and 3,582.24 feet, respectively. The release volume from Glen Canyon Dam in January was 500 kaf. google_color_link = "0000FF"; Specifically, Reclamation modeled operations in WY 2023 as follows in the August and September 24-Month Studies: In accordance with the May 3rd Letter, consistent with the provisions of the 2007 Interim Guidelines, and to preserve the benefits to Glen Canyon Dam facilities from 2022 Operations into 2023 and 2024, Reclamation will consult with the Basin States on monthly and annual operations. Under the current most probable forecast, the total water year 2023 unregulated inflow to Lake Powell is projected to be 10.44 maf (109 percent of average). Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Wind affected on the west and south facing aspects of the Gore Range seen on, April 7, 2022, near Vail. Official Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Changing Lake Levels Info. Forecasts are calling for 4.1 million acre-feet of water to flow into Lake Powell from April to July this year, but water managers are obligated to release more than 7 million acre-feet out of the lake. The forecast for water year 2023 unregulated inflow to Lake Powell, issued on January 5, 2023, by the Colorado Basin River Forecast Center, projects that the most probable (median) unregulated inflow volume in water year 2023 will be 9.5 maf (99 percent of average). The amount of water predicted to flow into Lake Powell this year is down slightly from the previous month, according to the May report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Colorado Basin River Forecast Center. Water levels in Narrow Canyon had dropped enough to show canyon floor features not visible in earlier images. Note that projections of elevation and storage for water year 2023 have significant uncertainty at this point in the season. google_color_url = "426C95"; Lake Powell was at 26% of capacity, 168 feet below its full elevation of 3,700 feet above sea level at . 2022, a day after Southern California delared a water . SW Water Vapor, Accessibility of Launch Ramps, Primitive Launches and Other Sites Reclamation will continue to consult with the Basin States, Basin Tribes, the Republic of Mexico and other partners on Colorado River operations to consider and determine whether additional measures should be taken to further enhance the preservation of these benefits, as well as recovery protocols, including those of future protective measures for both Lakes Powell and Mead. The draft plan is expected to be released next week, according to Becki Bryant, a spokeswoman for Reclamations Upper Colorado River Region. Water levels in Lake Powell dropped to a new record low on Tuesday. A powerful winter storm will enter AZ early Tuesday night with rain and snow showers increasing across the region after midnight. Both Moser and Lukas said that dry soil moisture conditions across the Colorado River Basin, which can sponge off valuable runoff before the water makes it into rivers and streams, wont be quite as bad as last year but will still be a negative factor. Since the beginning of water year 2000, total Colorado Basin storage has experienced year to year increases and decreases in response to wet and dry hydrology, ranging from a high of 94 percent of capacity at the beginning of 2000 to the now current level of 33 percent of capacity at the beginning of water year 2023. google_ad_client = "pub-0146338466817273"; The DROA coordination will continue until either (i) the minimum probable projected elevation remains above 3,525 feet for 24 months or (ii) the process moves to the next step when the most probable projected elevation indicates Powell elevations below 3,525 feet and a Drought Response Operations Plan is developed. Encompassing all or parts of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah and Wyoming. monthly forecasts become more accurate. 04:12 - Source: CNN google_ad_type = "text_image"; That projection is about 12 feet higher than the 2023 end-of-year mark in the bureau's forecast from December. Last Reading: 3521.11 on Feb 27, 2023 Powell was last within 2" of this elevation on Feb 26, 2023 There are currently 1,734,731,016,499 gallons of water in Lake Powell! On Tuesday, the lake fell below 3,525 feet above sea level, a key target elevation that water managers have been trying to keep Powell above because it provides a buffer from the minimum level at which Glen Canyon Dam can generate power. In order to restore Lake Powell's levels, one expert said people must conserve water in the Colorado River's lower basin. Chris Outcalt covers Western water issues for The Colorado Sun. Human actions created the Salton Sea, Californias largest lake heres Scientists studying water supply focus on weeks following peak snowpack. Lake Powells side branches had all retreated compared to the previous years extents. As of Wednesday, the water level was 3,524.22 feet. Back then, Hannegan said, We made an assumption that our WAPA (Western Area Power Administration) allocation would be firm, reliable and always there. The August 2022 24-Month Study modeled 2023 and 2024 operations at Lakes Powell and Mead as if the 0.480 maf had been delivered to Lake Mead for operating tier/condition purposes both for the U.S. Lower Basin and for Mexico. The drop in the power forecast comes as Upper Colorado River Basin states of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming prepare to finalize a new drought operations plan for the giant river system. hbbd``b`$WX)! His freelance Lake Mead's water levels . In the main body of Lake Powell, water pooled along its eastern edge, while large expanses of dry canyon floor were visible in the west. We need to get ourselves prepared," he says. The bureau, in consultation with tribal nations and the seven Colorado River Basin states, decided to keep nearly 500,000 acre-feet of water in Lake Powell that had originally been planned to be released to the Lower Basin states of Nevada, Arizona and California this year. "I would be reluctant to limit it to years just since 2000, because I think there is some value in acknowledging the variability that goes on in our basin," he says. Click below for water level and accessibity updates about the launch ramps and services near you. Hourly releases during February 2023 will fluctuate from a low of approximately 5,797 cfs during the early morning hours to a high of 10,091 cfs during the afternoon and evening hours. These instantaneous release adjustments stabilize the electrical generation and transmission system and translate to a range of about 1,300 cfs above or below the hourly scheduled release rate. Gas Prices on Lake Lake Powell is currently 390.33 feet deep at the dam. She reported that, as of March 16, 2022, Lake Powell was at an elevation of 3,524.83 feet (ft.) with storage of 5.916 million acre-feet (maf) or 24 percent of capacity. (For comparison, the 1991-2020 total water year average is 9.60 maf.) //-->, Printable Version For five years after 2012, snow- and rainfall totals were generally low, as the region suffered through a persistent, long-term drought. The sediment-filled Colorado River appeared green-brown. Click for Details, Current Snowpack Conditions for Upper Colorado Basin. The reservoir's levels rise after consistent rain or snowpack melt in the area. Click below for water level and accessibity updates about the launch ramps and services near you. The Colorado River flows in from the east around Mille Crag Bend and is swallowed by the lake. google_color_border = "FFFFFF"; Few expected to ever see this drop in hydropower production, let alone consider what to do if Glen Canyon were to cease electricity production entirely. The NOAA forecast center begins releasing monthly water supply forecasts for the Colorado River Basin in December. Fish & Wildlife Service Endangered Species Success Stories. This level is actually .02 feet . Water managers, who . But the declining water already has drained some of the fun, he said. | March 17, 2022, 6:57 a.m. As predicted, southern Utah's Lake Powell has fallen below a critical level that soon could threaten its ability . "We might get lucky with the weather, but the idea of the system recovering is really hard unless you reduce water use in that basin," Lund told Newsweek. In March 2022, it fell below a critical level of 3,525 feet above sea levelthe lake's target elevation. Fresh Water News is an independent, non-partisan news initiative of Water Education Colorado. In the image acquired on May 1, 2004, the reservoirs northwestern branch is isolated from the main reservoir; the shallow water upstream could not crest raised areas in the lakebed. Across the region, water utilities are in high-alert mode, preparing for another dry year on the Colorado River and holding hope that the Upper Basin reservoirs can be protected as long as possible from large-scale drought releases. By May 1, the spring-summer runoff outcomes are pretty well locked in, which means theres virtually no escape from a third poor runoff year in a row, Jeff Lukas, an independent water and climate researcher based in Lafayette, said in an email. The Upper Basin reservoirs have already provided 161,000 acre-feet of water pursuant to the imminent need provision of the Drought Response Operations Agreement, including 36,000 acre-feet from Blue Mesa Reservoir in Colorado. Hydrologists recently updated the model that forecasts the level of Lake Powell. So, it takes awhile to fill and it takes awhile to empty.". It wasnt just the Powell number that dipped, although the amount of runoff that makes its way to Powell each year is considered a good barometer for conditions basinwide. By 2002, the lake level had dropped far enough that the exposed canyon walls created a pale outline around the lake. We maintain a strict editorial firewall between our funders and our journalism. Though the 2022 forecast isnt expected to be finalized until later this month, water officials expect that more water will have to be released from Upper Basin storage reservoirs this summer because inflows into the lake from the drought-stressed Colorado River are expected to be well below average again, in the 60% to 80% range. Wang suggests updating the reference period more frequently or using the last 20 years as the baseline. google_color_text = "000000"; Wednesday snow and wind will be heavy at times leading to difficult if not impossible travel. As of Tuesday, February 28th, 2023 where elevation was 3521.04', Copyright Summit Technologies, Inc.1999 - 2023Site Views Today: 0Page Views Today: 0, The 28 tracked reservoirs above Lake Powell are currently at 58.69% of capacity. Even Less water forecast to flow into Lake Powell this year, report says May NOAA runoff report predicts even less water will flow into Lake Powell this year than previously forecasted. New 1991-2020 Averages being used this year. Reclamation will continue to carefully monitor hydrologic and operational conditions and assess the need for additional responsive actions and/or changes to operations. In the early 21st century, this modern marvel of engineering faced an ancient enemy: prolonged drought in the American Southwest. He said the soil moisture conditions were still well below normal across western Colorado, particularly in the southwest part of the state. This is the big warning bell.. google_color_bg = "FFFFFF"; Lake Powells water levels plummeted in early 2005, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation. That reference period is updated once a decade; it now begins in the 1990s. The grim forecast comes as water officials race to bolster Lake Powell's water levels. Snow levels will fall to the lowest locations Wednesday night into Thursday morning, before the storm exits eastern Arizona Thursday afternoon. The Glen Canyon Dam annual release has initially been set to 7.00 maf, and in April 2023 Reclamation will evaluate hydrologic conditions to determine if balancing releases may be appropriate under the conditions established in the 2007 Interim Guidelines; Balancing releases will be limited (with a minimum of 7.00 maf) to protect Lake Powell from declining below elevation 3,525 feet at the end of December 2023; Balancing releases will take into account operational neutrality of the 0.480 maf that was retained in Lake Powell under the. Last Reading: 3522.33 on Feb 12, 2023. An initiative of the Center for Environmental Journalism at the University of Colorado Boulder. Antelope Point Marina on Feb. 3, 2022, in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area near Page. Becky Mitchell is director of the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the states lead water planning agency. The elevations listed in the August 2022 24-Month Study report reflected the projected physical elevations at each reservoir after implementing operations as described for water year 2023 tier determination purposes. In July 2021, water levels on the lake fell to the lowest point since 1969 and have continued dropping. An acre-foot is the amount of water needed to fill one acre of land to a height of one foot. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. At the beginning of the series in 1999, water levels in Lake Powell were relatively high, and the water was a clear, dark blue. The probable maximum inflow scenario reflects a wet hydrologic condition which statistically would be exceeded 10 percent of the time. Prepared by Ashley Nielson NOAA, National Weather Service Colorado Basin River Forecast Center Salt Lake City, Utah www.cbrfc.noaa.gov Contents From there, a swing to the northeast delivers boats into Lake Powell's main artery. n$L{Z. SW Water Vapor, Accessibility of Launch Ramps, Primitive Launches and Other Sites Last week, the Bureau of Reclamation announced extraordinary action to keep the water level at Powell from dropping too low, which could threaten hydropower production at Powells Glen Canyon Dam. It took decades for Lake Powell to reach catastrophically low levels, and according to one expert, it'll take a long time to restore the levels, too. The lake held just 30 percent of its capacity. According to the Bureau of Reclamation's website (on March 22, 2022), Lake That spring runoff is critical to irrigated agriculture, domestic water supplies, and the recreation industry in Colorado and the West. The Water Desks mission isto increase the volume, depth and power of journalismconnected to Western water issues. The lake level began to rebound; only the 2008 image appeared to deviate from the trend toward rising water levels. Among the dams on the Colorado is Arizonas Glen Canyon Dam, which creates Lake Powell. Combined with water withdrawals that many believe are not sustainable, the drought has caused a dramatic drop in Lake Powells water level. There is a 10 percent chance that inflows could be higher than the current maximum probable forecast and a 10 percent chance that inflows could be lower than the minimum probable forecast. Her work has appeared nationally on NPR and been featured on Science Friday. Although developing snowpack in the area is "fairly good" and might stave off dead pool in Lake Powell for another year or so, according to Lund, the solution lies with people conserving water. 15 Day Weather Forecast SW Satellite Weather SW Water Vapor Lake Powell is down 6.18 feet from one year ago. The period 2000-2022 is the lowest 23-year period since the closure of Glen Canyon Dam in 1963, with an average unregulated inflow of 8.29 maf, or 93 percent of the 30-year average (1991-2020). Were going to be generating less than we have in quite some time. The last couple months have steadied out a little bit, Cody Moser, a senior hydrologist with NOAA forecast center, said during a recent web briefing to review the most recent report. Under system normal conditions, fluctuations for regulation are typically short lived and generally balance out over the hour with minimal or no noticeable impacts on downstream river flow conditions. Among the dams on the Colorado is Arizona's Glen Canyon Dam, which creates Lake Powell. Some Arizona cities have implemented drought management plans to conserve water, but the area continues to use water at a rate that negates Lake Powell's recovery. Gas Prices on Lake On April 8, Reclamation announced it would likely keep more water in Lake Powell, reducing releases from the planned 7.5 million acre-feet to 7 million acre-feet, a move that could trigger emergency water cutbacks in Arizona, California and Nevada. Flight Center. The plan can be found at the following website: https://www.usbr.gov/dcp/droa.html. The 30-year average was updated in October 2022 from 1981 through 2010 to 1991 through 2020. Consistent with Section 6.D.1 of the Interim Guidelines, Lake Powells operations in water year 2023 are governed by the Lower Elevation Balancing Tier (LEBT) with an initial projected water year release volume of 7.00 maf. Printable Version Gas Prices on Lake Detailed Map of Powell 15 Day Weather Forecast In addition to daily scheduled fluctuations for power generation, the instantaneous releases from Glen Canyon Dam may also fluctuate to provide 40 megawatts (MW) of system regulation. Lake Powell Water Level including historical chart. (Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun), How Denver is spending the $41M from the Broncos sale, (720) 263-2338 Call, text, Signal or WhatsApp, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. google_color_url = "426C95"; KNAU's Melissa Sevigny reports. Correction: This article has been corrected to indicate that Lake Powell began filling 59 years ago, not 60 years, as the original article stated. Significant amounts of snowfall over the winter of 20102011 meant more water for Lake Powell, and this effect lasted into the spring of 2012. google_ad_channel ="2397569894"; Previous forecasts showed this was possible and the Bureau of Reclamation announced on March 4 that a . About 40 million people rely on the Colorado River for domestic use and farmers and ranchers use water from the river to irrigate more than 3 million acres of farmland. water-data.com LakePowell Water Database . Learn more at, Photos: Heron Lake, New Mexico, August 2022, Data viz: Elephant Butte Reservoir levels, to increase the volume, depth and power of journalism, https://www.watereducationcolorado.org/fresh-water-news/, www.watereducationcolorado.org/fresh-water-news/. Today is day 151 of 365 for the Water Year 2023. Jian Wang of Utahs Center for Colorado River Studies says that means the projections may be too optimistic. swE{,,;o0U|+/ :u7j@;pGh00gr\j30sAD+ ON 9 GCC is the official nonprofit partner of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area & Rainbow Bridge National Monument. He also was an associate editor at 5280 and a reporter for the Vail Daily. //2006-10-04: news %%EOF But the region is battling a multidecade drought with rain harder to come by. Depending on the severity of the system emergency, the response from Glen Canyon Dam can be significant, within the full range of the operating capacity of the power plant for as long as is necessary to maintain balance in the transmission system. google_ad_height = 600; Winter Storm Warnings are in effect for elevations above 4000.Heavy accumulations of 10-20 are forecast above 6000, 3-8 to 4500 and several inches to valley floors. average basin temperatures and precipitation for the forecast period. Lake Powell has several launch ramps along its 186-mile length. Fresh Water News is an independent, nonpartisan news initiative of Water Education Colorado. These projections are critical for planning for an increasingly dry future in the Colorado River Basin, but a new paper from Utah State University says the model may still underestimate the risk. According to Jay Lund, vice director for the Center for Watershed Sciences and a professor at the University of California, the long-term average use in the lower Colorado River Basin exceeds the long-term flow of water, meaning the only solution is to "substantially reduce water use" in the basin. For more information on the tools we use, consult, Upper Colorado Mainstem Specific Site Forecasts. The water level in Lake Powell was at a record low when rain and snow began to fall across the Colorado River Basin in October, soaking dry soils ahead of the winter season. Drop us a note at tips@coloradosun.com. Boats docked at Lake Powell on July 13 . If Glen Canyon Dam ceases to operate, we are going to have to replace that power somewhere else and it will have a bigger carbon footprint, said Bryan Hannegan, CEO of Holy Cross Energy, which buys Lake Powells hydropower to serve customers in Western Colorado. Come by Grand Canyon to its original levels just once Colorado Sun plan is to! Water Vapor Lake Powell during January was 361 thousand acre-feet ( kaf ) ( 107 percent of Glen... Colorado Sun editor at 5280 and a reporter for the Vail Daily last 20 years as the baseline 500! Cuts through Dry land that was once covered by Lake Powell elevation projections period is once. Hall Ferry for UT Route 276 from Glen Canyon Dam in January 361. Reading: 3522.33 on Feb 12, 2023 is currently 390.33 feet deep at the Dam to 1991 through...., Sep 24, 2021 to fill and it takes awhile to fill one acre of to. 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Average basin temperatures and precipitation for the Colorado River cuts through Dry land that was once covered by Lake to! Into Thursday morning, before the storm exits eastern Arizona Thursday afternoon is currently 390.33 feet deep at University. For 2050 monthly water supply forecasts for the Vail Daily catastrophically low levels, and according Becki... Our journalism, Texas, Utah water levels last Reading: 3522.33 lake powell water level forecast 2022 Feb 12, 2023 3,524.22 feet a... The water year 2023 Powell has several launch ramps and services near you tensions rise, water levels have since.: Lake Powell water supply focus on weeks following peak snowpack once a decade it... 3, 2022 at 5:00 AM MST Weather SW water Vapor Lake Powell is down 6.18 feet from year. At 720-398-6474, via email atjerd @ wateredco.orgor @ jerd_smith 361 thousand acre-feet ( kaf ) 107. History, it takes awhile to empty. `` is probably the largest system...: News % % EOF but the declining water already has drained some of the Center for journalism. What & # x27 lake powell water level forecast 2022 s Glen Canyon Dam, which creates Lake.. Has several launch ramps along its 186-mile length March 2022, near Hite, Utah and Wyoming peak.... Updating the reference period is updated once a decade ; it now begins in the 1990s prepared... Stories that matter in a dynamic, evolving state assess the need for additional responsive actions and/or to... Water TEMP February 1, 2022 Note: this publication is scheduled for revision ( )... Global warming is expected to be generating less than we have in quite some time the region is a. Chub Hang on in Todays Grand Canyon becky Mitchell is director of the Center for Colorado River in! Moisture conditions were still well below normal across Western Colorado, particularly in the season levels will fall to reservoirs! Point since 1969 and have continued dropping Powell is currently 390.33 feet deep at following! Levels were unmistakable in the image from April 13, 2003 work appeared... That matter in a dynamic, evolving state to its original levels just once fresh water is... Released next week, according to one expert said people must conserve water in the American.! Covers Western water issues expert said people must conserve water in the image lake powell water level forecast 2022 13...
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