Highlights
- Lake Powell reached a record low of 3,519.91 feet above sea level Saturday, edging below the previous record set in April 2023.
- The reservoir sits roughly 30 feet above the threshold at which its hydroelectric turbines would shut down.
- Lake Mead also hit a historic low last week, leaving both reservoirs at their lowest combined storage since 1957.
- The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation proposed a 10-year plan in July that includes major water cuts for Arizona, California and Nevada.
Lake Powell dropped to 3,519.91 feet above sea level Saturday, setting a record low for the United States' second-largest reservoir and intensifying the crisis gripping the Colorado River system, the Associated Press reported. The milestone came roughly a week after Lake Mead, the river's other major reservoir, also hit a historic low.
The reservoir is now about 30 feet above the elevation at which turbines would stop producing hydroelectric power, according to U.S. Bureau of Reclamation data cited by the AP. Federal officials warned in April that a major intervention would be necessary to avoid reaching that threshold by the end of this year. The lake is also more than 20 feet lower than it was at the start of the year.
The Colorado River Basin supplies water to more than 40 million people across seven states: California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and Colorado. Persistent overuse, a record-dry winter and rising temperatures have driven both reservoirs to their lowest combined storage since May 1957, when Glen Canyon Dam was still under construction. Powell began filling in 1963.
The Bureau of Reclamation in July proposed a 10-year management plan that includes major potential water cuts for Arizona, California and Nevada. The seven basin states and the federal government have not yet reached agreement on a long-term framework for the dwindling resource.
Low water levels have also disrupted Lake Powell's tourism industry, forcing marinas to relocate to deeper waters and prompting the closure or relocation of boat ramps. The story was corroborated by CNN and ABC News.
Bureau of Reclamation data will be watched closely through the fall as officials assess whether the proposed cuts and any emergency measures can keep turbines running through year-end.
Sources
Every factual claim in this article traces to one of the sources below. See how we work for the editorial process.
- AZ Family (3TV/CBS5) retrieved 16/08/2026 21:55
Authored by The Scottsdale Signal. Drafted by AI from primary-source material under our beat-specific editorial guides; reviewed by humans before publish under our five-gate process. Sources retrieved at 16/08/2026 21:55. Every claim traces to a source.
