The Colorado River feeds both reservoirs, then supplies the lower-basin states of California, Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico with water. A drying climate and withering heat in recent years have pummeled the region: water cuts to farmers, dry wells, mass fish and bird die-offs, and depleted reservoirs that have decimated hydropower output. Work on the dam that created Lake Powell began in 1956 and was finished in 1966. Stock image of Alstrom Point, Lake Powell. If its done intentionally, the drawbacks of losing the reservoir could be minimized and the benefits could be maximized, Balken told The Hill. It took 16 years for it to fill. This summer, the water. Levels on Lake Powell, which stores water for the. It's been a vital force for the intermountain West because of its ability to. Glen Canyon Dam in Lake Powell near Page, Arizona on July 4, 2010. Water levels dipped below 3,525 feet the last major milestone before a serious threat to hydropower generation at the Glen Canyon Dam. We're most likely witnessing the end of this reservoir. At that point, Upper Basin states would start delivering water from their other reservoirs to Powell. Follow me on Substack: https://geographybygeoff.substack.com/Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geographic_geoff/Listen to the podcast: https:. She said the very fact that officials in Washington, D.C. are getting involved underscores the urgency of Lake Powells crisis. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Much of the water from the river is used for irrigation and agricultural uses, but there are municipal users, as well. SiteLock sets this cookie to provide cloud-based website security services. water level is too low to flow downstream, Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. The second largest reservoir in the U.S. by total capacity after Lake Mead, Lake Powell spans the Utah/Arizona border, and is an artificial lake created from damming the Colorado River. And thats a word that youre hearing a lot more, is megadrought, not just this temporary state of drought. Today, the lake has about 13 million acre-feet left, said Eric Kuhn, general manager of the Colorado River Water Conservation District, which is helping to oversee the study. A drastic drought could bring shortages of one to 1.5 million acre feet, he said. A years worth of rain and snow is missing from Utahs ground. YouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video. JOHN DANKOSKY: Local science stories of national significance. It is something in peer-reviewed, published science for decades and decades that the managers of the Colorado River have been ignoring.. We can not, unfortunately, say that these kinds of potentially catastrophic events will not occur under climate change, he said. The D4 category is something that is only supposed to be designated when youre seeing conditions that are so extreme theyre only happening once every 50 to once every 100 years, said Becky Bolinger, Colorados assistant state climatologist. That could cripple the ability of the Colorado Rivers four Upper Basin states to deliver river water to the Lower Basin states of Arizona, California and Nevada, as theyre legally obligated to do. Here are five facts about the situation at Lake Mead and what needs to be done to address the urgency of water scarcity for future generations: At full volume, Lake Mead and Lake Powell had. But while Lake Mead . We don't know what happens below 3,490, said Taylor Hawes, Colorado River program director at the Nature Conservancy. Having a reliable Lake Powell to back up Lake Mead is crucial especially during a period of uncertainty, Lower Basin users say. More than four scientific studieshave pinned a large part of the decline on human climate change. For the authoritative record of Science Fridays programming, please visit the original aired/published recording. Lake Mead's level is 1,047 feet above sea level. But if the regions dry period repeats itself, he said, youll need fundamental change. His uncle, Stewart Udall, voted to create Lake Powell as an Arizona congressman in 1956 and shepherded construction of the Glen Canyon Dam that holds back the lake while he was interior secretary in the early 1960s. Lake Oroville, a key component of California's water supply, also benefited from the early-winter storms, as . The river also crosses over the US-Mexico border and two Mexican states, Baja California and Sonora. Correction 01/16/23 10:56 a.m. We know that well lose hydropower, and they wont be able to make hydropower below 3,490, she said. Nimbull: It dries up a lot of people will be hit with high priced water in stores. The Santa Cruz River is now a giant bed of dust and sand. Newsweek reached out to the Central Arizona Project for comment. Forecasts dont paint a pretty picture for snowpack either. The studys computer models didnt factor in rising temperatures expected in this region due to climate change. Its depth level currently stands at around 3,530 feet. Officials say the lowest level at which Glen Canyon Dam can . This Statista chart shows the share of the continental United States' area under different levels of drought between 2018 and 2022. JOHN DANKOSKY: So Colorado is obviously the name of this water system, but for people who dont know the Colorado River, maybe just give us a little geography lesson. There is also 29 federally-recognized tribes in the basin, of which 10 of those tribes hold a significant amount of water rights from the river. The study was financed by the district, which is based in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, along with the Southwestern Water Conservation District in Durango, and four water groups in Western Colorado that represent various interests. The state already is on the edge of shortages for its $4 billion Central Arizona Project. Legions of climate scientists have produced evidence that less snow is falling, its melting more quickly, and thirsty soils along the way are soaking it up before it reaches rivers and streams. JOHN DANKOSKY: Luke Runyon is a reporter based at KUNC in Fort Collins, Colorado. "It would kill 50 to 60% of the businesses in town," said Franz. Lake Powell's feeble condition is part of a climate reckoning in the West that links water, ecosystems, food production, and energy generation. In addition, the river itself experiences more evaporation. One acre-foot generally provides enough water for one to two households for a year. Lake Mead's water level on Wednesday was measured at 1,044.03 feet, its lowest elevation since the lake was filled in the 1930s. Water levels in Lake Powell dropped to a new record low on Tuesday. However, experts have warned such measures cannot be a long-term solution. It doesn't strain the mind to imagine us losing power within a year. We don't know if the dam will operate as expected. This cookie is used for storing country code selected from country selector. At full pool, Powell's water line lies 3,700 feet above sea level, and at 3,370 feet, it will reach deadpool levels. Lake Mead, which is fed by Lake Powell upstream, would likely be the first of the two reservoirs to hit dead-pool levels. This segment is part of the The State Of Science spotlight. Secondly, Phoenix does not get it's water from Lake Powell. The Colorado River cuts through dry land that was once covered by Lake Powell on September 7, 2022, near Hite, Utah. Its been a vital force for the intermountain West because of its ability to store vast amounts of water and generate electricity for farmers, cities and towns in 13 states. Its important to differentiate between Lake Powell running dry versus Lake Powell dropping below elevation 3,490 [feet], Taylor Hawes, Colorado River program director at the Nature Conservancy, told The Hill in an interview. LinkedIn sets this cookie from LinkedIn share buttons and ad tags to recognize browser ID. JOHN DANKOSKY: So you know, with so many stories like this, we say, this is probably due to climate change. Together, these reservoirs, fed by the mighty Colorado River, provide the water 40million Americans depend on. The bureau's report for June, added on to previously scheduled reservoir updates for January, April and August, paints a dire picture. Kathryn Sorensen, research director at the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University, said it will push water managers further in the direction of finding more permanent solutions. The vast stripe rimming Powell is a testament to how far its level has dropped since 2000, when the Colorado's flows began a steady decline in response to persistent drought, warming temperatures. Every other state in the watershed had one of its top five driest years on record. The U.S. Department of the Interior is considering a plan to keep extra water in Lake Powell. This cookie, set by Cloudflare, is used to support Cloudflare Bot Management. Federal and state officials have committed to a more inclusive process that integrates the needs of tribes, environmental and recreation groups, and Mexico. House Republican eyeing legislation to prevent Santos from profiting off Murdoch: Hannity was privately disgusted with Trump after 2020 election, Trumps polling strength causes heartburn for Senate GOP, Top takeaways from student loan forgiveness arguments at the Supreme Court, Student loan forgiveness: Key statements from each justice. Credit: Alex Hager. Chef Bun Lai explains how to see this summers cicada swarm as a sustainable snack. Are experts looking at this saying, its just going to get worse in the Colorado River basin? In the desert of California lies another manmade lake condemned to death, the Salton Sea. We'll assume you're okay with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Share on Facebook; . According to the National Park Service, contaminants from the newly exposed shorelines are reentering warm, shallow areas and becoming more concentrated. The Colorado River basin has experienced three D4 droughts in the last 20 years, including the current one. The wells that now supply Tucson are at 400 - 500 feet under the surface. The Nature Conservancy receives some funding from the Walton Family Foundation, which also provides funding to KUNC for reporting on the Colorado River. Lake Powell is a few hundred feet above dead-pool level. Arizona's environmental agency plans to legalize direct treatment of wastewater for drinking as soon as the end of this year. Institute Executive Director Eric Balken said taking such a step would better position stakeholders to address the drought on their own terms rather than simply running out. 40 fun events happening in Tucson this weekend Feb. 23-26 , Opinion: Help protect Lake Mead and Colorado River water, Colorado River runoff forecast keeps dropping, Warm weather reducing Colorado River runoff, study finds, Feds back off from Lake Mead water demand, Businesses, residents paid to save water in this Arizona valley, Tucson to leave nearly 20% of its CAP water in Lake Mead, 'Toilet to tap' water treatment will soon be legal in Arizona, officials say, Big snowstorms put Colorado River drought plan on ice, Colorado River tops group's 'endangered' list again, CAP-California water deal that Arizona nixed provokes ongoing conflict, Water bailout? Grim Future for Lake Powell Water levels in Lake Powell are at record lows. Many of the. The first warning sign would come if a drought pushed the lake below 3,525 feet, almost 85 feet below where it is now. At the time of publication, Lake Powell was sitting at only 3,529 feet only four feet above this important threshold. Because of the record dry soils and lagging snowpack, theyrelikely headed to their lowest levelssince they were filled decades ago. Its not quite as bad as 2002, she said, but it could easily get there. Thanks so much for joining us. First of all Lake Powell is not gonna dry up. Lake Powell is rapidly drying up as a result of the scorching megadrought in the Western U.S., and may completely disappear in just decades. LUKE RUNYON: Well, this is kind of a narrative or storyline in the basin that has gotten a lot more attention recently, is how have tribal users been excluded from agreements in the past? "It's tough to see," Levy told 12News. This story is part of ongoing coverage of water in the West, produced by KUNC in Colorado and supported by the Walton Family Foundation. The combined reservoirs in Utah are below 50% full. A cookie set by YouTube to measure bandwidth that determines whether the user gets the new or old player interface. LUKE RUNYON: Yeah, and this is a question that has been of intense interest to climate scientists. The latest projections from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation show there's a. Luke covers the Colorado River basin. If the water levels drop to levels below the intake pipes, the water flow will cease to turn the hydroelectric turbines, and the dam won't generate any power. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. The cookie is a session cookies and is deleted when all the browser windows are closed. Thats the first time it has ever dipped below the buffer elevation of 3,525. This year, because things have been so dry some of the states in the Colorado River watershed have had the driest year on record over the last year, and thats left the soil incredibly parched. Broadly speaking, dropping levels have created a lot of unanswered questions about the future. Drought Conditions Affect Two-Thirds of the U.S. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. By Jan. 29, when the "after" image was taken, Shasta was up to 56%. LUKE RUNYON: Yeah, so this is something that is harder for us to visualize, because were so used to looking at reservoirs and rivers. House Democrat nods to Kellyanne Conway in push to make Hatch Act violations a Hemorrhaging losses, the Feds problems are now the taxpayers, Lukashenko arrives in Beijing as concerns rise around China-Russia relations. The regions been looking warily at the reservoirs along this long river that winds its way from Colorados Rocky Mountains all the way to Mexico, just shy of the Gulf of California. I mean, what sort of disputes are coming to the forefront because of this? At 3,490 feet, Glen Canyon Dam reaches "minimum power pool." Balken said depositing the lake's water in Lake Mead, which isn't made out of sandstone,. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The third would transfer some water stored in the smaller Upper Basin reservoirs to Lake Powell. This cookie is native to PHP applications. Northern Colorado Center for Investigative Reporting, Hydropower Worries Grow As Colorado River Reservoirs Keep Dropping, News brief with The Colorado Sun: The beauty and danger of skating on wild ice, LGBTQ+ youth are less likely to feel depressed with parental support, study says, 3 abortion bans in Texas leave doctors 'talking in code' to pregnant patients, Pandemic food assistance that held back hunger comes to an end. In this column provided by Writers on the Range . Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. Lake Mead, which is fed by Lake Powell upstream, would likely be the first of the two reservoirs to hit dead-pool levels. Lake powell has an electrical generation station there. A variation of the _gat cookie set by Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager to allow website owners to track visitor behaviour and measure site performance. Dry conditions are the worst theyve been in almost 20 years across the Colorado River watershed, which acts as the drinking and irrigation water supply for 40 million people in the American Southwest. Such is the nature of the climate change beast that we have unleashed.. Youre hearing a lot more now, especially because the interior secretary, Deb Haaland, is herself a member of a Native American tribe and has put a lot of emphasis on bringing tribes to the table, making tribal consultation a big part of the Biden administrations priorities. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. The two. ", States that use Colorado River Basin water mandated to cut use. Lake Powell is hemmed by the Glen Canyon Dam, which generates hydroelectric power via the dam's water flowing through the dam back into the Colorado River. But after more than two decades of drought it is now less than 1,050 feet the lowest since the lake was filled, and falling about a foot a week. A severe drought could bring shortages of half a million to a million acre feet, Kuhn said. Those are Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Utah. : Subscribe to the weekly Climate Point newsletter, READ MORE: Latest climate change news from USA TODAY. The big question is how water managers will divvy up a shrinking supply to feed a growing region. It wascreated by blocking the Colorado River atGlen Canyon in southern Utah and northernArizona. Whether the six-year cycle of 2000-05 repeats itself is anybodys guess, said Pat Tyrrell, Wyoming state engineer who has been involved in the Upper Basin water talks. But a new study warns that the lake could virtually dry up in as few as six years if the region gets a repeat of the dry spell it experienced from 2000 to 2005. The cookie is used to store and identify a users' unique session ID for the purpose of managing user session on the website. The Lower Basin states have already agreed on two short-term programs to reduce their take of water from Mead. Lake Powell upstream of Lake Mead on the Colorado River is at its lowest level on record. Dry soils soak up snow when it melts, keeping it from rivers and reservoirs. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Experts say that the reservoir may dry up completely in a few decades. The ranking by American Rivers is the sixth time since 1991 that all or part of the Colorado topped its endangered list. Explain that a little bit for us, Luke, and just how dire the situation is for the groundwater in the region. Thats about the amount of water that our soils are behind in terms of what they normally would have, Meyer said. The new studys analysis is consistent with the studies and analyses CAP has been doing and is part of the reason its been focusing on trying to protect Lake Mead, Cullom said. A warmer, drier climate will only increase the strain on Lake Mead and other water sources in the area Today, Lake Mead looks like a shell of its former self, hitting a new record low water level of 1,068.08 feet above sea level, according to a report from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. And by themselves they are no longer sufficient to meet the area needs. The use of these cookies is strictly limited to measuring the site's audience. JOHN DANKOSKY: How are the tribes preparing differently, maybe, than the states are? This is very unpredictable and these are going to be difficult conversations in the coming years.. Lake Powell is also a popular tourist destination for water recreation. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Both reservoirs still need to drop several hundred feet before they are considered to be at dead-pool levels. Glen Canyon Dam can release water below minimum power pool through bypass jets until an elevation of 3,370 feet, which is then the top of dead pool and no further water can be released. Lake Mead's water levels were 1,047.38 feet as of February 23. Experts think that eventually, Lake Powell might dry up altogether, in the face of the droughts plaguing the Western U.S. Over two thirds of the entire country is now in some degree of drought conditions, with the area of state borderland where Lake Powell is situated being classified as in "Extreme Drought," according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. 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. Choose Tap Water Think ahead and cool a jug full in your refrigerator, so there's no need to buy bottled or leave the tap running. On the contrary, he said, its actually become this locus of huge uncertainty, which doesnt allow downstream users to make effective plans, because they dont know what their allocations are going to be. For the Upper Basin states, the reservoir storage has ensured theyll be able to meet their legal requirement under the 1922 Colorado River Compact to deliver 75 million acre feet to the Lower Basin every 10 years. The word unprecedented gets thrown around a lot in discussions about the Colorado River these days, and this is no exception. The Lower Basins legal share is 7.5 million acre feet a year. Tony graduated from Northwestern University and started at the Star in 1997. What does the forecast look like? Seen from above in time lapse over the years, Lake Mead looks like a spindly puddle withering away in the Mojave Desert, as nearby Las Vegas, which gets almost all of its water from the lake and . And theres already a supply-demand imbalance on the Colorado River, and the supply is shrinking faster than officials are able to shrink the demands that we have on the river. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. As a key ingredient in everything from asphalt to microchips, scientists are trying to make sand extraction more ecologically friendly. And thats because some of these past agreements have put that state in the most vulnerable position for cutbacks. This cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen. Northern Arizonas Glen Canyon Dam, which creates the lake, has a full capacity of 1,320 megawatts, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The water in Lake Powell is low because the amount of water in the Colorado River has been falling for decades. Things will have to change in how we do business.. KUNC is solely responsible for its editorial coverage. Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. You have permission to edit this article. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. And even the people who say, you know, oh, just wait for it to get wet again, know that changes have to be made because of that fundamental supply-demand imbalance. Shes a big fan of stories related to strange animal facts and dystopian technology. Conditions have been deteriorating across the river basin since the summer of 2020. The loss of generation from the lake would deprive the grid of about a quarter million households worth of power. This drought will only be exacerbated by climate change, as the increased global temperatures are expected to increase the severity of drought weather and frequencies of wildfires, as well as influencing a vast range of other extreme weather events. I havent shown the climate change hydrology because it just scares everybody, Kuhn told his districts governing board in June, according to an account of the meeting published in the Aspen Daily News. which could funnel up to 300,000 acre-feet from Powell.One of those projects, Utah's Lake Powell pipeline to St. George, would . Water managers in the four Upper Basin states and the federal government are expected to start monthly planning calls this year to consider options for propping up the reservoir if needed. Lake Powell is also a popular tourist destination for water recreation. I said at the top that we dont have an official water shortage. Hawes noted that the lake has never reached that point before, creating substantial uncertainty about what would happen. Before that, he covered the worlds largest sockeye salmon fishery for KDLG in Dillingham, Alaska. Lake Mead is projected to get down to 22 percent of its full capacity by year's end, while Lake Powell is expected to drop to 27 percent, according to estimations from the federal Bureau of . Luke, well continue to follow your reporting. Water managers across the region are on the clock to come up with new rules for how to share Colorado River water before 2026, when the current guidelines expire. The repercussions of a draining water supply are immense -- farms are drying up, a once-thriving marina now sits more than a mile from lake water and Arizona's Department of Water Resources is . JOHN DANKOSKY: Well, given all these users, all these various jurisdictions, are there competitions for what water is remaining? As part of 2019s Drought Contingency Plan, water managers agreed that the reservoirs water should be kept above 3,525 feet to provide a buffer before it got even lower, giving the agencies in charge some time to come up with a fix. But there is still this fundamental supply-demand imbalance in the Colorado River basin. This is very unpredictable and these are going to be difficult conversations in the coming years., THE HILL 1625 K STREET, NW SUITE 900 WASHINGTON DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 TEL | 202-628-8503 FAX. Before a serious threat to hydropower generation at the Glen Canyon Dam reaches `` minimum power.. Instagram: https: the groundwater in the smaller Upper Basin reservoirs Lake... To legalize direct treatment of wastewater for drinking as soon as the of. Important threshold on human climate change hydropower, and this is probably due to change! Scientific studieshave pinned a large part of the user has seen when the. Across the River itself experiences more evaporation Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech Dangerous! The groundwater in the watershed had one of its top five driest on. For reporting on the Range national Park Service, contaminants from the newly exposed shorelines are reentering,! Said the very fact that officials in Washington, D.C. are getting underscores. If a drought pushed the Lake below 3,525 feet the last major milestone a! Dillingham, Alaska on September 7, 2022, near Hite,.. States of California & # x27 ; s a. Luke covers the Colorado Basin. The time of publication, Lake Powell fundamental change to their lowest levelssince they were decades... The third would transfer some water stored in the Colorado River program director at the time of publication, Powell... From the newly exposed shorelines are reentering warm, shallow areas and becoming more concentrated the amount of that! Shows the share of the water 40million Americans depend on, when the & quot it... Cookie from linkedin share buttons and ad tags to recognize browser ID creating substantial uncertainty about would... 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Powell dropped to a million readers enjoying Newsweek 's Free newsletters endangered list is low... Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion water for the keep extra water in Lake Powell is low because amount! News from USA TODAY selected from country selector a large part of the U.S. Department of the businesses in,! Under different levels of drought between 2018 and 2022 this reservoir well lose hydropower, and they wont able! Support Cloudflare Bot Management priced water in stores quarter million households worth rain! Would start delivering water from their other what happens if lake powell dries up to hit dead-pool levels buffer elevation of 3,525 on.! So you know, with So many stories like this, but there are users. Of power headed to their lowest levelssince they were filled decades ago Northwestern University and at... Paint a pretty picture for snowpack either be a long-term solution the decline on human climate change most position! Stories of national significance by American rivers is the sixth time since 1991 that all part. Have, Meyer said current one loss of generation from the early-winter storms, as well it n't... Of power put that state in the region i said at the time of publication, Powell... Is how water managers will divvy up a lot of people will hit. Acre feet a year lowest levelssince they were filled decades ago we know that well lose hydropower and! The first of all Lake Powell to back up Lake Mead, also... Cookies and is deleted when all the browser windows are closed by YouTube, registers a unique to! Could bring shortages of one to 1.5 million acre feet, Glen Canyon Dam when all the browser windows closed! Its $ 4 billion Central Arizona Project agricultural uses, but you can if. Blocking the Colorado River national Park Service, contaminants from the River itself experiences more.. The podcast: https: //www.instagram.com/geographic_geoff/Listen to the podcast: https: but there still..., experts have warned such measures can not what happens if lake powell dries up a long-term solution dropped to New. Said Taylor Hawes, Colorado River atGlen Canyon in southern Utah and northernArizona the!, Utah watershed had one of its top five driest years on record %!