US EditionUtah Agrees to Massive Water Release From Flaming Gorge to Prop up Colorado River System
The bureau plans to cut Powell releases by 1.48 million acre-feet and draw 660,000 to 1 million acre-feet from Flaming Gorge.
- On Friday, the Bureau of Reclamation announced plans to release 660,000 to 1 million acre-feet of water from Flaming Gorge Reservoir over the next 12 months to support Lake Powell, which faces critical low water levels.
- Record-Low snowpack at 23% of normal, paired with extreme drought conditions, prompted the emergency action to prevent Lake Powell from dropping below the minimum power pool necessary for hydroelectric generation.
- Additionally, the Bureau plans to reduce annual releases from Lake Powell to Lake Mead by 1.48 million acre-feet through September, slowing the downstream reservoir's decline. Reduced flows may accelerate Lake Mead's decline, with potential for 40% less hydropower at Hoover Dam.
- Boaters face newly exposed shorelines and navigational hazards at Lake Powell due to lower water levels. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area officials warned of these dangers as the reservoir continues declining.
- Current operational guidelines for the Colorado River Basin expire later this year, and the seven basin states have not reached consensus on new frameworks. The Bureau is prepared to determine post-2026 operations if states fail to agree.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Bureau of Reclamation makes preparations to keep Lake Powell afloat amid dire drought conditions
With a historic drought hitting the Colorado River basin, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is making preparations to slow releases from the river’s largest reservoir while increasing withdrawals from an Upper Basin reservoir. “Given the...
Oil City News
Cap City NewsFeds order Flaming Gorge drop to save imperiled Lake Powell from potential structural failure
by Dustin Bleizeffer, WyoFile Federal officials formally announced Friday they will draw an extra 660,000 to 1 million acre-feet of water from Flaming Gorge Reservoir on the Wyoming-Utah border over the next 12 months to prevent downstream Lake Powell from dropping below “minimum power pool” the point at which it could no longer produce power. The desperate move is in response to projections that show Lake Powell, “without major intervention,” …
Aspen Times
Bureau of Reclamation makes preparations to keep Lake Powell afloat amid dire drought conditions in Colorado River basin
With a historic drought hitting the Colorado River basin, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is making preparations to slow releases from the river’s largest reservoir while increasing withdrawals from an Upper Basin reservoir. “Given the severity of the risks facing the Colorado River system, it is imperative that we take action quickly to protect a resource that supplies water to 40 million people and supports vital agricultural, hydropower produ…
U.S.'s 2nd-biggest water reservoir to get a short-term fix amid Colorado River drought
The Trump administration announced emergency measures to send water from reservoirs high in the river basin to those downstream in the wake of a historically dry Rocky Mountain winter.
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