Lake Powell Water Level
Utah & Arizona · Colorado River
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Water level history
About Lake Powell
Lake Powell is a reservoir on the Colorado River in Utah & Arizona, operated by U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. It's the second-largest U.S. reservoir, famous for its red-rock canyons. Its full summer pool sits at 3700 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (RISE) and update daily, typically on a one- to two-week reporting lag.
Understanding Lake Powell's water level
Lake Powell is the second-largest reservoir in the country, held behind Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River, and it is the main savings account for the river's Upper Basin states. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation stores water here to meet obligations to the Lower Basin under the Colorado River Compact and to generate hydropower, while the National Park Service runs the surrounding Glen Canyon National Recreation Area famous for its red-rock canyons. Full pool is 3,700 feet above sea level, but like Lake Mead downstream, Powell is a multi-year storage reservoir: its level tracks long-term drought and system-wide water accounting rather than a spring-to-fall recreation cycle.
That is why Powell's decline has been so dramatic. On April 22, 2022 the lake fell to a record low of 3,522.24 feet, just under 23 percent of capacity and the lowest level since the reservoir first filled in the 1960s. What made that number alarming was how close it came to the minimum power pool of 3,490 feet, the elevation below which Glen Canyon Dam can no longer reliably spin its turbines, only about 32 feet lower. Below that lies dead pool near 3,370 feet. The record high, by contrast, was 3,708.34 feet during the great Colorado River runoff of July 1983.
For boaters, the level is not an abstraction. As Powell drops, shortcuts like the Castle Rock Cut go dry, forcing longer routes, and launch ramps have to be extended or closed as the water pulls back from the concrete. Powell draws roughly two million visitors a year for houseboating, fishing and canyon exploring, so every foot matters to marinas and outfitters. And because the whole system runs short, refilling Powell is a slow, multi-year process that hinges on big mountain snowpack and reduced downstream demand.
Lake Powell — frequently asked
Why is Lake Powell so low?
Powell is low because the Colorado River system has been in a prolonged drought while more water is committed to users than the river reliably provides. As the Upper Basin's main storage reservoir, Powell absorbs that shortfall, which drove it to a record low of 3,522.24 feet in April 2022. Its level reflects multi-year water accounting, not a seasonal drawdown that refills each spring.
What is full pool for Lake Powell, and what was the record low?
Full pool is 3,700 feet above sea level. The record low was 3,522.24 feet on April 22, 2022, about 23 percent of capacity and the lowest since the lake filled in the 1960s. The record high was 3,708.34 feet in July 1983.
Why does the 3,490-foot level matter at Lake Powell?
3,490 feet is Glen Canyon Dam's minimum power pool, the elevation below which the dam can no longer reliably generate hydroelectricity. The 2022 low of 3,522 feet sat only about 32 feet above it, which is why that year raised serious concerns about losing power production. Below the power pool, dead pool is near 3,370 feet.
Will Lake Powell refill soon?
Not quickly. Because the broader Colorado River system runs a long-term shortfall, Powell can only recover over multiple years of strong snowpack combined with reduced water use downstream. A single wet winter helps but does not refill it.
What happens to boating at Lake Powell when it drops?
Low water dries up shortcuts like the Castle Rock Cut, forcing boaters onto longer routes, and launch ramps must be extended or closed as the shoreline retreats. Because Powell is a houseboating and canyon-touring destination, marinas and outfitters track the level closely.
What is Lake Powell used for?
It stores Colorado River water for the Upper Basin states and their Compact obligations, generates hydropower at Glen Canyon Dam, and anchors the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, which draws about two million visitors a year for houseboating, fishing and sightseeing.
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