Unusually wet weather has spread through Utah and Arizona this week. But the rain and snow have done nothing to raise the water level that is currently at a record low in the nation's second-largest reservoir.
Lake Powell is an artificial lake spanning the Utah/Arizona border that was created from damming the Colorado River.
The lake is hemmed by the Glen Canyon Dam, which generates hydroelectric power for millions of homes. The lake also provides a source of water for millions of Americans.
However, water levels in Lake Powell today are at record lows, and the reservoir is only at 24 percent of its total capacity. If the ongoing drought in the Southwest continues, the reservoir is at risk of reaching even lower elevations.
"Based on the best climate data that's available, it's really unlikely that this reservoir is going to be around in the decades to come," Eric Balken, from the Glen Canyon Institute, told 12News.
Water levels currently stand at 3,525 feet above average sea level, as per data from Lakes Online, a record low for this time of year. Just five years ago, water levels stood at 3,622 feet above sea level. Even this time last year, water levels were 12 feet higher than they are today.
At 3,370 feet, the reservoir will reach deadpool levels.
This occurs when water levels drop below the dam's intake pipes so water flow can no longer turn the hydroelectric turbines. This stops the dam from generating power, and air entering the system can also damage the dam's generators.
In June 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation issued an emergency request that states relying on the Colorado River basin should reduce their water usage over the next 18 months. This request is still in place.
Lake Powell, like Lake Mead and other major reservoirs in the area, has been severely impacted by the decades-long megadrought that has gripped America's Southwest for the last 22 years.
While the drought is in part driven by natural variations in climate, models suggest that human-driven climate change has heightened its intensity.
"We are in a crisis," Tom Buschatzke, director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources, said at the annual Colorado River conference in December.
"Both lakes [Lake Mead and Lake Powell] could be two years away from either dead pool or so close to dead pool that the flow out of those dams is going to be a horribly small number. And it just keeps getting worse," he added.
Although Lake Powell's water level is at record lows, there is some positive news: the drought across this region is less intense than it was this time last year.
The area surrounding Lake Powell is currently classed as being under "severe drought" by the U.S. Drought Monitor, while this time last year it was under a more intense "extreme drought."
Lake Powell is fed mainly by runoff from snowpack in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. When this snow melts in the spring, it runs down into the Colorado River, which fills Lake Powell. Snowpack in the Rockies is above average for this time of year, which is a promising sign for water levels in Lake Powell in the year to come. However, it's still too early to know how much of a difference the storms will have made in the long run.
Correction 01/16/23 at 10:56 a.m. ET: The dead pool level of Lake Powell has been corrected.
Update 01/20/23 at 11:53 a.m. ET: This article has been updated to highlight the importance of snowpack on water levels in Lake Powell.
Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about drought? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Pandora Dewan is a Senior Science Reporter at Newsweek based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on science, health ... Read more
