Combined with water withdrawals that many believe are not sustainable, the drought has caused a dramatic drop in Lake Powells water level. That reference period is updated once a decade; it now begins in the 1990s. 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. Significant amounts of snowfall over the winter of 20102011 meant more water for Lake Powell, and this effect lasted into the spring of 2012. Surface Water Elevation (feet) Lake Powell End of Month Elevations1 . 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. Detailed Map of Powell Water managers, who . Lake Powell water level at Wahweap Marina in September 2021 | Photo by Bureau of Reclamation, St. George News . 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. 2018 brought some relief after a wet winter. As of Wednesday, the water level was 3,524.22 feet. 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. Newsweek reached out to the U.S. Geological Survey for comment. 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. google_ad_width = 160; 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 Bureau of Reclamation's most recent projections show Lake Mead dropping to 1,033.4 feet in elevation by the end of 2023, about 14 feet lower than the reservoir's current level. 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. inflow forecast for water year 2022 by approximately 2.2 million acre-feet from . A century of river flow records combined with an additional four to five centuries of tree-ring data show that the droughts over the past two decades were not unusual; longer and more severe droughts are a regular part of the climate variability in that part of the continent. swE{,,;o0U|+/ :u7j@;pGh00gr\j30sAD+ ON 9
These long-term projections help water managers plan for future shortages, which are increasingly likely in the Colorado River Basin, in part because of warmer temperatures brought on by global climate change. The unregulated inflow volume to Lake Powell during January was 361 thousand acre-feet (kaf) (107 percent of average). average basin temperatures and precipitation for the forecast period. Lake Mead was at elevation 1,064.30 ft. with storage of 8.753 maf or 34 percent of capacity. (2019-2021) AND my own personal prediction of 2022 based on p. Drop us a note at tips@coloradosun.com. google_color_text = "000000"; 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. Upper Colorado River Basin regularly experiences significant year to year hydrologic variability. By 2002, the lake level had dropped far enough that the exposed canyon walls created a pale outline around the lake. Previous forecasts showed this was possible and the Bureau of Reclamation announced on March 4 that a . water-data.com LakePowell Water Database . 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 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. The plan can be found at the following website: https://www.usbr.gov/dcp/droa.html. Updated: 10:18 PM MDT April 26, 2022 DENVER Lake Powell, on the Utah-Arizona state line, is part of a river system that supplies water to 40 million people. The February forecast for water year 2023 ranges from a minimum probable of 8.37 maf (87 percent of average) to a January forecasted maximum probable of 14.93 maf (155 percent of average) with the most probable forecast for water year 2023 of 10.44 maf (109 percent of average). hbbd``b`$WX)! Note that projections of elevation and storage for water year 2023 have significant uncertainty at this point in the season. Last July, to protect the 3,525 buffer zone, Reclamation ordered emergency water releases from three reservoirs in the Upper Colorado River Basin. The grim forecast comes as water officials race to bolster Lake Powell's water levels. @) .=] 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 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. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. A visual history of the water level of each of our Lake Powell trips over the past three years. Utahs Flaming Gorge, Colorados Blue Mesa and New Mexicos Navajo. In the early 21st century, this modern marvel of engineering faced an ancient enemy: prolonged drought in the American Southwest. Wednesday snow and wind will be heavy at times leading to difficult if not impossible travel. 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/. 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. View our Current Membership Thank You Gifts, KNAU News Talk - Arizona Public Radio | "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. The probable minimum and probable maximum model runs are conducted simultaneously in January, April, August, and October, or when necessary to incorporate changing conditions. 0.523 maf in Lake Powell from December 2022 through April 2023. The actual end of water year 2023 system storage may vary from this projection, primarily due to uncertainty regarding this seasons runoff and reservoir inflow. The northwestern side branch of Lake Powell remained cut off from the rest of the reservoir. 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. She also sits on the Upper Colorado River Commission. Scientists say the current drought is the driest on record in the last twelve hundred years. Credit: Alex Hager. But it is concerning. google_color_url = "426C95"; Lake Powell, Printable Version A powerful winter storm will enter AZ early Tuesday night with rain and snow showers increasing across the region after midnight. This article contains new, firsthand information uncovered by its reporter(s). Upper Colorado Region Water Operations: Current Status: Lake Powell, Spring Snow Brings Moisture to Colorado Front Range, NASA Goddard Space google_ad_height = 600; By, What We Know, And What You Can Do To Help. Close Become a member Login My Account Logout Search for:Search News Education Health Coloradans Equity Sun Investigation Crime and Courts Culture Sports Part of the Glen Canyon Conservancy Family, Utah D.O.T Charles Hall Ferry for UT Route 276. //-->, Printable Version Late last fall WAPA, which operates the electric grid and distributes the power to utilities, raised rates 30% to cover reductions in power revenue. That projection is about 12 feet higher than the 2023 end-of-year mark in the bureau's forecast from December. Lake Powell is so low that it is nearing a dead pool, in which water levels aren't high enough to deliver water downstream. Reclamation will continue to carefully monitor hydrologic and operational conditions and assess the need for additional responsive actions and/or changes to operations. Low water effects to launch ramps and services top Lake Powell Elevation (05/18/2022) 3526.05 ft Stay in the know! SW Water Vapor, Accessibility of Launch Ramps, Primitive Launches and Other Sites Now, though, we know that its not firm, its not reliable, and its coming at a much higher cost.. Lake Powell Water Level including historical chart. 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. The water levels at Lake Powell have dropped around 100 feet in the last three years. Lake Powells water levels plummeted in early 2005, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation. That spring runoff is critical to irrigated agriculture, domestic water supplies, and the recreation industry in Colorado and the West. google_color_border = "FFFFFF"; Click for Details, Current Snowpack Conditions for Upper Colorado Basin. The system is appreciated for the water it supplies, but criticized for the environmental problems and cultural losses that have resulted from its creation. What's the weather forecast for 2050? To view the current inflow forecast relative to past inflows, click on Lake Powell Inflow Forecast. 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! google_ad_width = 160; Today is day 151 of 365 for the Water Year 2023. google_ad_format = "160x600_as"; The lake level began to rebound; only the 2008 image appeared to deviate from the trend toward rising water levels. %%EOF
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