Lake Powell has seen its lowest water levels in 50 years. This dramatic change can even be seen from space as documented by the ESA (The European Space Agency). Lake Powell is particularly important since it helps deliver water to around 40 million people across many Southwestern states including Arizona and Utah. This water also supports agriculture throughout the Southwest.
The low water levels are due in part to less run off from the Colorado Rocky Mountains. At the same time, the reservoir’s capacity is thought to be decreasing due to silt delivered by the Colorado and San Juan rivers. These sediments settle near the reservoir’s bottom, reducing the total amount of water the reservoir can contain.
So, what happens when the water levels get too low? If the water levels drops below the “minimum power pool” level of 3,490 feet then the Glen Canyon Dam will not be able to produce electricity for about 5.8 MM customers in the West. Without this water as an energy source, there’s the potential that energy costs will increase for customers. Alternate sources, like natural gas, will need to be used instead of water, which will further impact climate change. The federal government has stepped into limit the amount of water released so far this year. We’ll need to watch closely to see the impact of climate change and water availability on the Southwest region.
This is a photo from Lake Powell and the water level used to be up higher to where the lighter part of the canyon is.
“Dwindling Water Levels of Lake Powell Seen from Space.” ESA, www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-2/Dwindling_water_levels_of_Lake_Powell_seen_from_space.
Marsh, René. “Lake Powell Officials Face an Impossible Choice in the West’s Megadrought: Water or Electricity.” CNN, Cable News Network, 30 Apr. 2022, www.cnn.com/2022/04/30/us/west-drought-lake-powell-hydropower-or-water-climate/index.html.