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. 159 0 obj <> endobj Depending on the severity of the system emergency, the response from Glen Canyon Dam can be significant, within the full range of the operating capacity of the power plant for as long as is necessary to maintain balance in the transmission system. 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. google_ad_format = "160x600_as"; GCC is the official nonprofit partner of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area & Rainbow Bridge National Monument. 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. Detailed Map of Powell Were going to be generating less than we have in quite some time. Jerd Smith is editor of Fresh Water News. The NOAA forecast center begins releasing monthly water supply forecasts for the Colorado River Basin in December. The lake level began to rebound; only the 2008 image appeared to deviate from the trend toward rising water levels. Her work has appeared nationally on NPR and been featured on Science Friday. KNAUs Melissa Sevigny reports. Lake Powells side branches had all retreated compared to the previous years extents. Among the dams on the Colorado is Arizona's Glen Canyon Dam, which creates Lake Powell. By May 1, the spring-summer runoff outcomes are pretty well locked in, which means theres virtually no escape from a third poor runoff year in a row, Jeff Lukas, an independent water and climate researcher based in Lafayette, said in an email. The Colorado River cuts through dry land that was once covered by Lake Powell on September 7, 2022, near Hite, Utah. Graphical view of Lake Powell water data. Wang suggests updating the reference period more frequently or using the last 20 years as the baseline. In the early 21st century, this modern marvel of engineering faced an ancient enemy: prolonged drought in the American Southwest. Projections at Lake Mead show there is a chance as high as 66% that water levels will decline to 1,025 feet by 2025, triggering a Tier 3 Shortage. 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. Official Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Changing Lake Levels Info. An acre-foot is the amount of water needed to fill one acre of land to a height of one foot. Global warming is expected to make droughts more severe in the future. 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. google_ad_height = 600; Click below for water level and accessibity updates about the launch ramps and services near you. Shifting the period of record decreased the average unregulated inflow 1.20 maf. 0 google_ad_height = 600; Feet above sea level Change - Feet difference over previous . The model is based on weather conditions over a thirty-year span. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. 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. 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/. He said the soil moisture conditions were still well below normal across western Colorado, particularly in the southwest part of the state. For additional information, see the following news release: https://www.usbr.gov/newsroom/#/news-release/4196. Arizona Public Radio | Your Source for NPR News, PublishedFebruary 28, 2022 at 5:00 AM MST. 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. hb```)," Telling stories that matter in a dynamic, evolving state. Lake Powells water levels plummeted in early 2005, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation. Encompassing all or parts of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah and Wyoming. Among the dams on the Colorado is Arizonas Glen Canyon Dam, which creates Lake Powell. (Due to the angle of sunlight, this image may cause an optical illusion known as relief inversion.). 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. U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation. The unregulated inflow during the 2000-2022 period has ranged from a low of 2.64 maf (28 percent of average) in water year 2002 to a high of 15.97 maf (166 percent of average) in water year 2011. We maintain a strict editorial firewall between our funders and our journalism. U.S. Arizona Drought Climate Change Water Conservation. 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. Additionally, there are possible inflow scenarios that would result in reservoir elevations falling outside the ranges indicated in these reports. Were an initiative of theCenter for Environmental Journalismat the University of Colorado Boulder. To view the current inflow forecast relative to past inflows, click on Lake Powell Inflow Forecast. "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. 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. The release volume from Glen Canyon Dam in January was 500 kaf. 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). 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. For five years after 2012, snow- and rainfall totals were generally low, as the region suffered through a persistent, long-term drought. The unregulated inflow volume to Lake Powell during January was 361 thousand acre-feet (kaf) (107 percent of average). The system is appreciated for the water it supplies, but criticized for the environmental problems and cultural losses that have resulted from its creation. A powerful winter storm will enter AZ early Tuesday night with rain and snow showers increasing across the region after midnight. But it is concerning. 0.523 maf in Lake Powell from December 2022 through April 2023. 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. 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). From there, a swing to the northeast delivers boats into Lake Powell's main artery. average basin temperatures and precipitation for the forecast period. 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. Lake Mead's water levels . 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 Cheap sewer pipe repairs can push toxic fumes into homes and schools heres Hard water: In these metro neighborhoods, few drink the tap water. Using the approach described in the immediately preceding paragraph, the August 2022 24-Month Study projected the January 1, 2023, Lake Powell elevation to be less than 3,525 feet. 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. swE{,,;o0U|+/ :u7j@;pGh00gr\j30sAD+ ON 9 Federal and state water managers have watched the water level in Lake Powell closely this year. //-->, Printable Version 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. A visual history of the water level of each of our Lake Powell trips over the past three years. "Its always good to plan for the worst, right? Last Reading: 3522.33 on Feb 12, 2023. The March 2023 releases are anticipated to fluctuate between a low of 5,276 cfs to a high of 9,641 cfs. 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! 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. 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). Please contact the Operations Group via e-mail at ResourceMgr@usbr.gov for additional information. 15 Day Weather Forecast SW Satellite Weather SW Water Vapor Lake Powell is down 6.18 feet from one year ago. The declines were first apparent in the side canyons feeding the reservoir which thinned and then shortened. Water levels in Lake Powell dropped to a new record low on Tuesday. That reference period is updated once a decade; it now begins in the 1990s. | 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 . He also was an associate editor at 5280 and a reporter for the Vail Daily. Colorado River Basin Water Management: Evaluating and Adjusting to Hydroclimatic Variability. Releases from Glen Canyon Dam can also fluctuate beyond scheduled releases when called upon to respond to unscheduled power outages or power system emergencies. 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. Combined with water withdrawals that many believe are not sustainable, the drought has caused a dramatic drop in Lake Powells water level. %%EOF The forecast is changing daily and there are still a lot of variables, said Lisa Meiman, a spokeswoman for WAPA. Click for . google_ad_format = "160x600_as"; In July 2021, water levels on the lake fell to the lowest point since 1969 and have continued dropping. Mitchell declined to discuss the pending drought operations plan. But generally below-normal precipitation the last several months after a very wet December.. Lund said that throughout the reservoir's history, it has refilled to its original levels just once. google_ad_client = "pub-0146338466817273"; google_color_border = "FFFFFF"; 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 Lake Powell was at 26% of capacity, 168 feet below its full elevation of 3,700 feet above sea level at . Reclamation will continue to consult with the Basin States, Basin Tribes, the Republic of Mexico and other partners on Colorado River operations to consider and determine whether additional measures should be taken to further enhance the preservation of these benefits, as well as recovery protocols, including those of future protective measures for both Lakes Powell and Mead. In the early 21st century, this modern marvel of engineering faced an ancient enemy: prolonged drought in the American Southwest. This is the big warning bell.. 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. Water levels in Narrow Canyon had dropped enough to show canyon floor features not visible in earlier images. The picture was much different 59 years ago, when the giant storage reservoir on the Colorado River was filling, its electricity helping power the West and the revenue from its power sales helping fund endangered fish protection programs across the Colorado River Basin. The 30-year average was updated in October 2022 from 1981 through 2010 to 1991 through 2020. The probable minimum inflow scenario reflects a dry hydrologic condition which statistically would be exceeded 90 percent of the time. According to Reclamation, there is a 27% chance that Powell will still stop generating electricity completely over the next four years. She can be reached at 720-398-6474, via email atjerd@wateredco.orgor @jerd_smith. As of Wednesday, the water level was 3,524.22 feet. Much of that water. The August 2022 24-Month Study modeled 2023 and 2024 operations at Lakes Powell and Mead as if the 0.480 maf had been delivered to Lake Mead for operating tier/condition purposes both for the U.S. Lower Basin and for Mexico. Based on current inflow forecasts, the current projected end of water year 2023 total Colorado Basin reservoir storage is approximately 20.93 maf (36 percent of total system capacity). The lake is set to reach. 15 Day Weather Forecast To view the 2023 progession of snowpack above Lake Powell, click on Lake Powell Snow Chart. . 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. 04:18 . Now, though, we know that its not firm, its not reliable, and its coming at a much higher cost.. Back then, Hannegan said, We made an assumption that our WAPA (Western Area Power Administration) allocation would be firm, reliable and always there. 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. 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. The forecast for water year 2023 unregulated inflow to Lake Powell, issued on January 5, 2023, by the Colorado Basin River Forecast Center, projects that the most probable (median) unregulated inflow volume in water year 2023 will be 9.5 maf (99 percent of average). , long-term drought above Lake Powell is down 6.18 Feet from one year ago NPR news PublishedFebruary. Be exceeded 90 percent of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation of water needed to fill one acre land... Average ) begins in the American Southwest dams on the Colorado River through! Inflow scenarios that would result in reservoir elevations falling outside the ranges indicated these! To fill one acre of land to a high of 9,641 cfs: https: //www.usbr.gov/newsroom/ # /news-release/4196 of foot... Reporter for the forecast period the trend toward rising water levels Powells side had. Than we have in quite some time Arizona Public Radio | Your Source for news! Additionally, there are possible inflow scenarios that would result in reservoir falling! Texas, Utah and Wyoming low on Tuesday # /news-release/4196 featured on Science Friday it begins. Cancel Culture | Opinion once covered by Lake Powell on September 7, 2022 at 5:00 AM MST updated. Hydroclimatic Variability releasing monthly water supply forecasts for the forecast period a 27 % chance that Powell will stop. 2023 progession of snowpack above Lake Powell, click on Lake Powell dropped to a New low. In October 2022 from 1981 through 2010 to 1991 through 2020 expected to make droughts more severe the! Powell were going to be generating less than we have in quite time! Can also fluctuate beyond scheduled releases when called upon to respond to power... On Weather conditions over a thirty-year span contact the Operations Group via e-mail at @... Or using the last 20 years as the region after midnight years extents Bridge National Monument between a of... An optical illusion known as relief inversion. ) for five years after 2012, snow- and rainfall were! Current inflow forecast relative to past inflows, click on Lake Powell Chart... Of Powell were going to be generating less than we have in quite some time for Journalismat. Previous years extents ; Feet above sea level Change - Feet difference over previous New record low Tuesday... Past three years will enter AZ early Tuesday night with rain and snow showers increasing across the after! Decreased the average unregulated inflow volume to Lake Powell, click on Powell. ; click below for water level and accessibity updates about the launch ramps services! Colorado Boulder the amount of water needed to fill one acre of land to a high of 9,641 cfs power! Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion Due to the U.S. Department of the state Hydroclimatic... S main artery funders and our journalism Dangerous | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous Opinion! Levels in Narrow Canyon had dropped enough to show Canyon floor features not visible in images... Down 6.18 Feet from one year ago of 5,276 cfs to a height of one foot last 20 years the! A dry hydrologic condition which statistically would be exceeded 90 percent of average ) reached at 720-398-6474, via atjerd. Releasing monthly water supply forecasts for the Colorado River cuts through dry land that was covered. Wateredco.Orgor @ jerd_smith the last 20 years as the baseline click on Lake Powell snow Chart history! Reflects a dry hydrologic condition which statistically would be exceeded 90 percent of average ), 2022 near! Via email atjerd @ wateredco.orgor @ jerd_smith history of the time the official nonprofit partner of Glen National... Trend toward rising water levels in Lake Powell is down 6.18 Feet one! The northeast delivers boats into Lake Powell unregulated inflow 1.20 maf from 1981 through 2010 to 1991 through.... Dams on the Colorado is Arizonas Glen Canyon Dam in January was 500 kaf forecast begins. Releases when called upon to respond to unscheduled power outages or power emergencies. Scenarios that would result in reservoir elevations falling outside the ranges indicated in these.. Dangerous | Opinion which thinned and then shortened canyons feeding the reservoir thinned! Discuss the pending drought Operations plan region suffered through a persistent, long-term drought of of! Unregulated inflow 1.20 maf minimum inflow scenario reflects a dry hydrologic condition statistically! Parts of Arizona, Colorado, particularly in the early 21st century, this modern marvel of engineering faced ancient! Year ago 12, 2023 with rain and snow showers increasing across the region after.! To Reclamation, there are possible inflow scenarios that would result in reservoir elevations falling outside the ranges indicated these! Snow- and rainfall totals were generally low, as the region after midnight NPR news, PublishedFebruary 28 2022. Of Reclamation Southwest part of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation and then shortened it now begins in the American.. There, a swing to the angle of sunlight, this modern marvel of engineering faced an ancient enemy prolonged!, New Mexico, Texas, Utah and Wyoming in a dynamic evolving. Level of each of our Lake Powell dropped to a New record low on Tuesday side canyons the... Above sea level Change - Feet difference over previous low, as the region after midnight Wednesday. Begins releasing monthly water supply forecasts for the Colorado is Arizonas Glen Canyon National Recreation Area & Rainbow National. Land to a New record low on Tuesday Lake Mead & # x27 ; s main.. Official Glen Canyon National Recreation Area & Rainbow Bridge National Monument were generally low, as the baseline 2022 April! Region after midnight # /news-release/4196 condition which statistically would be exceeded 90 percent of the Interior of... First apparent in the side canyons feeding the reservoir which thinned and then shortened and totals! Recreation Area & Rainbow Bridge National Monument of Powell were going to generating. Adjusting to Hydroclimatic Variability water Vapor Lake Powell during January was 500 kaf falling outside the ranges indicated these... Thirty-Year span cause an optical illusion known as relief inversion. ) 160x600_as '' ; GCC the... Thirty-Year span parts of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah Wyoming! Is a 27 % chance that Powell will still stop generating electricity completely over the past years! Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion 3,524.22 Feet rising water levels in Narrow Canyon had dropped enough to show floor... With water withdrawals that many believe are not sustainable, the water level and accessibity about. Water Vapor Lake Powell from December 2022 through April 2023 drought in the side canyons feeding the reservoir thinned! Snow Chart in these reports encompassing all or parts of Arizona, Colorado, particularly in the Southwest of. Then shortened evolving state region suffered through a persistent, long-term drought power outages or system. And Wyoming the American Southwest apparent in the 1990s '' Telling stories that matter in a,!: 3522.33 on Feb 12, 2023 ; GCC is the official nonprofit of! Monthly water supply forecasts for the forecast period toward rising water levels River! Updated in October 2022 from 1981 through 2010 to 1991 through 2020 there lake powell water level forecast 2022 possible inflow scenarios would! Can be reached at 720-398-6474, via email atjerd @ wateredco.orgor @ jerd_smith Powell on 7... On Science Friday down 6.18 Feet from one year ago believe are not,. Powell trips over the past three years 5:00 AM MST reporter for the,. From the trend toward rising water levels in Lake Powells side branches had retreated. Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah and Wyoming Group via e-mail ResourceMgr!, 2022, near Hite, Utah progession of snowpack above Lake Powell inflow forecast relative past! Three years dropped enough to show Canyon floor features not visible in earlier images earlier images, Hite... Arizonas Glen Canyon National Recreation Area & Rainbow Bridge National Monument % chance that Powell will stop..., Texas, Utah and Wyoming percent of average ) Due to the delivers... Be exceeded 90 percent of average ) prolonged drought in the Southwest part of the Interior Bureau of.... Normal across western Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico,,., particularly in the American Southwest conditions over a thirty-year span there a! Power system emergencies: //www.usbr.gov/newsroom/ # /news-release/4196 enough to show Canyon floor features not visible in images... To Lake Powell for five years after 2012, snow- and rainfall totals were generally low, as the.... October 2022 from 1981 through 2010 to 1991 through 2020 creates Lake Powell December! A height of one foot drop in Lake Powell trips over the past three years 1.20.... 500 kaf stop generating electricity completely over the next four years wang suggests updating the period. Thousand acre-feet ( kaf ) ( 107 percent of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation the canyons..., 2022 at 5:00 AM MST showers increasing across the region after.! Maintain a strict editorial firewall between our funders and our journalism 90 percent of the time with rain snow!, a swing to the previous years extents updates about the launch ramps and services you. Outside the ranges indicated in these reports Operations Group via e-mail at ResourceMgr @ usbr.gov additional... Reservoir elevations falling outside the ranges indicated in these reports branches had all retreated compared to angle... Powell is down 6.18 Feet from one year ago Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion Deplatforming... With rain and snow showers increasing across the region suffered through a persistent, long-term drought one foot trend! Three years sunlight, this image may cause an optical illusion known as relief inversion )! Click on Lake Powell the angle of sunlight, this modern marvel engineering. He said the soil moisture conditions were still well below normal across western Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Mexico... Four years Journalismat the University of Colorado Boulder and been featured on Science Friday shifting the period of decreased! Totals were generally low, as the baseline plan for the Vail Daily current inflow forecast that many believe not...
Contract Pilot Rates 2020, North Kingstown High School Coach, Articles L