lake powell water level forecast 2022

But the region is battling a multidecade drought with rain harder to come by. 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. Water supply forecasts take into consideration present hydrometeorological conditions and use So, it takes awhile to fill and it takes awhile to empty.". The reduction of releases from Glen Canyon Dam in water year 2022 (resulting in increased storage in Lake Powell) will not affect future operating determinations and will be accounted for as if this volume of water had been delivered to Lake Mead. Based on the current forecast of 10.44 maf unregulated inflow for water year 2023, the February 24-Month Study projects Lake Powell elevation will end water year 2023 near 3555.45 feet with approximately 7.47 maf in storage (32 percent of capacity). 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. 2018 brought some relief after a wet winter. google_ad_client = "pub-0146338466817273"; @) .=] 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 %PDF-1.7 % Official Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Changing Lake Levels Info. Shortages have been implemented by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in areas like Arizona as water levels in the reservoir have consistently dropped for the past 10 years. Lake Powell has several launch ramps along its 186-mile length. In the early 21st century, this modern marvel of engineering faced an ancient enemy: prolonged drought in the American Southwest. google_ad_type = "text_image"; Lake Powell was at 26% of capacity, 168 feet below its full elevation of 3,700 feet above sea level at . Close Become a member Login My Account Logout Search for:Search News Education Health Coloradans Equity Sun Investigation Crime and Courts Culture Sports By 2002, the lake level had dropped far enough that the exposed canyon walls created a pale outline around the lake. google_color_border = "FFFFFF"; 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). Hydrologists recently updated the model that forecasts the level of Lake Powell. 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. The lake level began to rebound; only the 2008 image appeared to deviate from the trend toward rising water levels. 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. The 30-year average was updated in October 2022 from 1981 through 2010 to 1991 through 2020. 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. 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. Flight Center. Back then, Hannegan said, We made an assumption that our WAPA (Western Area Power Administration) allocation would be firm, reliable and always there. However, these responses can have a noticeable impact on the river downstream of Glen Canyon Dam. Gas Prices on Lake Lake Powell is at low for water year and down 9.26 feet from the high. Click for Details, Current Snowpack Conditions for Upper Colorado Basin. DATE MEASURED ELEVATION CHANGE CONTENT INFLOW OUTFLOW HIGH TEMP LOW TEMP WATER TEMP . 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. If you have feedback on content, format, or publication frequency, please contact us. 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 nation's second-largest reservoir is under pressure from climate change and steady demand, and is now . average basin temperatures and precipitation for the forecast period. Printable Version Gas Prices on Lake Detailed Map of Powell 15 Day Weather Forecast Today is day 151 of 365 for the Water Year 2023. Antelope Point Launch Ramp Bullfrog Main Launch Ramp In July 2021, water levels on the lake fell to the lowest point since 1969 and have continued dropping. As of Wednesday, the water level was 3,524.22 feet. By Anna Skinner On 1/18/23 at 4:42 PM EST. monthly forecasts become more accurate. Click below for water level and accessibity updates about the launch ramps and services near you. 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. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. 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. 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 forecast is changing daily and there are still a lot of variables, said Lisa Meiman, a spokeswoman for WAPA. Water supply forecast volumes decreased across most of the region, Moser said during the webinar. There are continued discussions when and how that same amount of water (0.523 maf) will be . The most probable inflow scenario reflects a median hydrologic condition which statistically would be exceeded 50 percent of the time. 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. Part of the Glen Canyon Conservancy Family, Utah D.O.T Charles Hall Ferry for UT Route 276. //2006-10-04: news The grim forecast comes as water officials race to bolster Lake Powells water levels. //2006-10-04: news Click for . 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. Fish & Wildlife Service Endangered Species Success Stories. Antelope Point Marina on Feb. 3, 2022, in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area near Page. After decades of drought, the water level in Lake Powell has sunk to unimaginable lows, threatening millions of people who rely on the water supply. 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. SW Water Vapor, Accessibility of Launch Ramps, Primitive Launches and Other Sites Get the most up to date information on Lake Powell's water levels and the status of launch ramps from the Bureau of Reclamation, National Park Service, and more with the links and pages below. Mitchell declined to discuss the pending drought operations plan. The system is appreciated for the water it supplies, but criticized for the environmental problems and cultural losses that have resulted from its creation. Note that projections of elevation and storage for water year 2023 have significant uncertainty at this point in the season. Water Summary Today is day 136 of 365 for the Water Year 2023. She can be reached at 720-398-6474, via email atjerd@wateredco.orgor @jerd_smith. 8_9dyB`n`` +30|@,6a # " 9`SADP zg Ab``#@ 7 3 By Leia Larsen. 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. Combined with water withdrawals that many believe are not sustainable, the drought has caused a dramatic drop in Lake Powells water level. google_ad_type = "text_image"; 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. (2007). Chris Outcalt covers Western water issues for The Colorado Sun. 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. 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 According to the Bureau of Reclamation's website (on March 22, 2022), Lake CNN's Bill Weir has more. But generally below-normal precipitation the last several months after a very wet December.. 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). 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. The probable maximum inflow scenario reflects a wet hydrologic condition which statistically would be exceeded 10 percent of the time. In the early 21st century, this modern marvel of engineering faced an ancient enemy: prolonged drought in the American Southwest. Water levels in Lake Powell dropped to a new record low on Tuesday. 0.523 maf in Lake Powell from December 2022 through April 2023. Scientists say the current drought is the driest on record in the last twelve hundred years. Please contact the Operations Group via e-mail at ResourceMgr@usbr.gov for additional information. 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. Fresh Water News is an independent, nonpartisan news initiative of Water Education Colorado. In January, following the wet December Moser noted, the NOAA forecast called for 98% of the 30-year average to reach Powell. Lake Powell is so low that it is nearing a dead pool, in which water levels aren't high enough to deliver water downstream. google_ad_width = 160; 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. Now, though, we know that its not firm, its not reliable, and its coming at a much higher cost.. (Due to the angle of sunlight, this image may cause an optical illusion known as relief inversion.). "This is probably the largest reservoir system in the country in terms of storage. Gas Prices on Lake The model is based on weather conditions over a thirty-year span. google_color_bg = "FFFFFF"; Lake Powell has fallen victim to excessive water use as a 20-year drought parches the region. We are 37% through the Water Year. 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. (For comparison, the 1991-2020 total water year average is 9.60 maf.) google_color_border = "FFFFFF"; 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. The lake held just 30 percent of its capacity. The Water Desks mission isto increase the volume, depth and power of journalismconnected to Western water issues. Lake Powell