Today is day 151 of 365 for the Water Year 2023. google_color_link = "0000FF"; Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. (2007). So, it takes awhile to fill and it takes awhile to empty.". Printable Version Gas Prices on Lake Detailed Map of Powell 15 Day Weather Forecast Scientists say the current drought is the driest on record in the last twelve hundred years. "This is probably the largest reservoir system in the country in terms of storage. Drop us a note at tips@coloradosun.com. But the 30-year period is the standard reference worldwide and captures more variability, according to Paul Miller of the Colorado Basin River Forecast Center. We are 37% through the Water Year. That projection is about 12 feet higher than the 2023 end-of-year mark in the bureau's forecast from December. DATE MEASURED ELEVATION CHANGE CONTENT INFLOW OUTFLOW HIGH TEMP LOW TEMP WATER TEMP . 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). In July 2022, the lake reached a historic low of 1,040 feet above sea level. A visual history of the water level of each of our Lake Powell trips over the past three years. 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. 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. This 2022 Plan is described above and available for review here: https://www.usbr.gov/dcp/droa.html. 15 Day Weather Forecast The annual release volume from Lake Powell during water year 2023 will be 7.77 maf under the Lower Elevation Balancing Tier and will balance the contents between Powell and Mead with annual release volumes from Glen Canyon Dam between 7.00 maf and 9.50 maf as determined under Section 6.D.1 and 7.D of the Interim Guidelines as determined by the Department of the Interior as described above. In the early 21st century, this modern marvel of engineering faced an ancient enemy: prolonged drought in the American Southwest. 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. That spring runoff is critical to irrigated agriculture, domestic water supplies, and the recreation industry in Colorado and the West. Global warming is expected to make droughts more severe in the future. Close Become a member Login My Account Logout Search for:Search News Education Health Coloradans Equity Sun Investigation Crime and Courts Culture Sports Among the dams on the Colorado is Arizonas Glen Canyon Dam, which creates Lake Powell. 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. Credit: Alex Hager. (For comparison, the 1991-2020 total water year average is 9.60 maf.) Detailed Map of Powell Click for . Click below for water level and accessibity updates about the launch ramps and services near you. By 2002, the lake level had dropped far enough that the exposed canyon walls created a pale outline around the lake. In March 2022, it fell below a critical level of 3,525 feet above sea levelthe lake's target elevation. google_color_text = "000000"; In January, following the wet December Moser noted, the NOAA forecast called for 98% of the 30-year average to reach Powell. As air warms over time, less precipitation makes it to the reservoirs due to evaporation. That reference period is updated once a decade; it now begins in the 1990s. As a news piece, this article cites verifiable, third-party sources which have all been thoroughly fact-checked and deemed credible by the Newsroom in accordance with the Civil Constitution. Additionally, there are possible inflow scenarios that would result in reservoir elevations falling outside the ranges indicated in these reports. " 9`SADP zg Ab``#@ 7 3 swE{,,;o0U|+/ :u7j@;pGh00gr\j30sAD+ ON 9 U.S. Arizona Drought Climate Change Water Conservation. 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. Powell was last within 2" of this elevation on Feb 11, 2023 There are currently 1,757,155,460,140 gallons of water in Lake Powell! 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. 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. //-->, Printable Version As of September 20, 2021, the water elevation at Glen Canyon Dam was 3,546.93 feet, more than 153 feet below "full pool" (elevation 3,700 feet). However, these responses can have a noticeable impact on the river downstream of Glen Canyon Dam. 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. This includes directly interviewing sources and research / analysis of primary source documents. From there, a swing to the northeast delivers boats into Lake Powell's main artery. google_ad_type = "text_image"; Water managers, who . By, What We Know, And What You Can Do To Help. Dry conditions and falling water levels were unmistakable in the image from April 13, 2003. The March 2023 releases are anticipated to fluctuate between a low of 5,276 cfs to a high of 9,641 cfs. google_color_url = "426C95"; google_color_border = "FFFFFF"; | 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 . CNN's Bill Weir has more. The system is appreciated for the water it supplies, but criticized for the environmental problems and cultural losses that have resulted from its creation. 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. 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. Precipitation declines combined with booming urban populations will present a significant challenge to Western water managers in the near future. google_ad_height = 600; endstream endobj 160 0 obj <>/Metadata 41 0 R/Pages 157 0 R/StructTreeRoot 59 0 R/Type/Catalog/ViewerPreferences 177 0 R>> endobj 161 0 obj <>/MediaBox[0 0 792 612]/Parent 157 0 R/Resources<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/Tabs/S/Type/Page>> endobj 162 0 obj <>stream According to Reclamation, there is a 27% chance that Powell will still stop generating electricity completely over the next four years. google_color_text = "000000"; Were going to be generating less than we have in quite some time. To view the 2023 progession of snowpack above Lake Powell, click on Lake Powell Snow Chart. Committee on the Scientific Bases of Colorado River Basin Water Management, National Research Council. With low-runoff conditions and . SW Water Vapor, Accessibility of Launch Ramps, Primitive Launches and Other Sites Hydrologists recently updated the model that forecasts the level of Lake Powell. "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. 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. 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. In water year 2021 unregulated inflow volume to Lake Powell was 3.50 maf (36 percent of average), the second driest year on record above 2002. "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. It will be among the lowest years of generation ever, said Nick Williams, power manager for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamations Upper Colorado River Region in an interview last week. Our editorial policy and donor list can be viewed atwateredco.org. To view the most current reservoir elevation projections, click on: Lake Powell Elevation Projections. google_ad_format = "160x600_as"; google_ad_client = "pub-0146338466817273"; The probable minimum inflow scenario reflects a dry hydrologic condition which statistically would be exceeded 90 percent of the time. Its not a hypothetical situation anymore.. Human actions created the Salton Sea, Californias largest lake heres Scientists studying water supply focus on weeks following peak snowpack. In the early 21st century, this modern marvel of engineering faced an ancient enemy: prolonged drought in the American Southwest. The unregulated inflow volume to Lake Powell during January was 361 thousand acre-feet (kaf) (107 percent of average). The Water Desks mission isto increase the volume, depth and power of journalismconnected to Western water issues. //2006-10-04: news The grim forecast comes as water officials race to bolster Lake Powells water levels. The NOAA forecast center begins releasing monthly water supply forecasts for the Colorado River Basin in December. SW Water Vapor, Accessibility of Launch Ramps, Primitive Launches and Other Sites The plan can be found at the following website: https://www.usbr.gov/dcp/droa.html. He also was an associate editor at 5280 and a reporter for the Vail Daily. Lake Powell is currently 390.33 feet deep at the dam. Water Data for 20 days surrounding Feb 28, 2022. U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation. WEco is funded by multiple donors. Lake Powell has several launch ramps along its 186-mile length. The lake is set to reach. Low water effects to launch ramps and services top Lake Powell Elevation (05/18/2022) 3526.05 ft Stay in the know! Late last fall WAPA, which operates the electric grid and distributes the power to utilities, raised rates 30% to cover reductions in power revenue. KNAU's Melissa Sevigny reports. A powerful winter storm will enter AZ early Tuesday night with rain and snow showers increasing across the region after midnight. 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/. Water supply forecast volumes decreased across most of the region, Moser said during the webinar. Detailed Map of Powell The deep, narrow, meandering reservoir extends upstream into southern Utah. The modeling approach for WY 2023 will apply to 2024. As the forecast season progresses, Level 3 Shortage Condition 1,025 ft and below Elevation 1,090 ft Elevation 1,045 ft Historical Future Wednesday snow and wind will be heavy at times leading to difficult if not impossible travel. By Anna Skinner On 1/18/23 at 4:42 PM EST. He said the soil moisture conditions were still well below normal across western Colorado, particularly in the southwest part of the state. Significant amounts of snowfall over the winter of 20102011 meant more water for Lake Powell, and this effect lasted into the spring of 2012. Back then, Hannegan said, We made an assumption that our WAPA (Western Area Power Administration) allocation would be firm, reliable and always there. google_ad_type = "text_image"; The nation's second-largest reservoir is under pressure from climate change and steady demand, and is now . 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 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. In addition to the February 2023 24-Month Study based on the Most Probable inflow scenario, and in accordance with the Drought Response Operational Agreement (DROA)), Reclamation has conducted model runs in February to determine a possible range of reservoir elevations. 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. Water Summary Today is day 136 of 365 for the Water Year 2023. 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. water-data.com Lake Powell Water Database. 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. 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. 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). 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. Along its route, the river passes through an elaborate water-management system designed to tame the yearly floods from spring snowmelt and to provide a reliable supply of water for residents as far away as California. %%EOF "These reservoirs are huge," Lund said. 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. Federal and state water managers have watched the water level in Lake Powell closely this year. 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. 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. 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. Lake Powell, Printable Version google_color_bg = "FFFFFF"; Up to 80 percent of water use in the basin is for agricultural purposes, but urban water conservation serves an important purpose, too. google_ad_client = "pub-0146338466817273"; His freelance Were an initiative of theCenter for Environmental Journalismat the University of Colorado Boulder. 0.523 maf in Lake Powell from December 2022 through April 2023. %PDF-1.7 % The final NOAA forecast for the season predicts the amount of water to reach Lake Powell this year to be about 60% of average. The forecast estimated that the amount of water that will flow into Lake Powell this spring and summer will be about 59% of average, based on 30 years of data from 1991 to 2020. water-data.com LakePowell Water Database . By Leia Larsen. Lake Powell water level at Wahweap Marina in September 2021 | Photo by Bureau of Reclamation, St. George News . Feet above sea level Change - Feet difference over previous . Lake Powell has several launch ramps along its 186-mile length. Now, though, we know that its not firm, its not reliable, and its coming at a much higher cost.. 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. We need to get ourselves prepared," he says. It took decades for Lake Powell to reach catastrophically low levels, and according to one expert . 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 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! 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. 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. Water availability, appropriate timing of releases, and impacts on other resources are all being considered as the 2022 Plan is being drafted.. Lake Powells water levels plummeted in early 2005, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation. 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).. At the same time, power producers are gearing up to craft a fallback plan for extending hydropower production at Glen Canyon Dam if water levels continue to fall. 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. We are 41% through the Water Year. Climate change also plays a part. Electricity produced at Lake Powells Glen Canyon Dam, which serves some 50 Colorado utilities, and dozens of others in the Colorado River Basin, has been cut in half by the 20-year drought, with power levels over the next two years projected to be 47% lower than normal, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. 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. Becky Mitchell is director of the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the states lead water planning agency. 2022, a day after Southern California delared a water . hb```)," The Water Desk launched in April 2019 with support from the Walton Family Foundation. Reclamation will also ensure all appropriate consultation with Basin Tribes, the Republic of Mexico, other federal agencies, water users and non-governmental organizations with respect to implementation of these monthly and annual operations. We maintain a strict editorial firewall between our funders and our journalism. The lake level began to rebound; only the 2008 image appeared to deviate from the trend toward rising water levels. 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