Lake Powell reaches historic low, raising concerns for hydropower

At the Glen Canyon Dam in Page, Arizona, water is released into the Colorado River. Lake Powell's elevation dipped below 3,525 feet (1,075 meters), a record low that exceeds a vital barrier that officials have long warned signals their capacity to produce electricity is in jeopardy. File Photo AP: In this Nov. 19, 2012. 

On Tuesday, a major reservoir known as a boating destination fell below the critical level, raising new fears about a power source that millions of people in the United States' West rely on for electricity.

Lake Powell's drop to below 3,525 feet (1,075 meters) is the lake's lowest level since it filled after the federal government dammed the Colorado River at Glen Canyon more than a half-century ago — a record that highlights the negative effects of climate change and megadrought.

It occurs as a result of greater temperatures and less precipitation, which result in less water flowing down the overburdened Colorado River. Though water constraint is not new in the region, hydropower issues at Arizona's Glen Canyon Dam indicate that a future that western states thought was years away is approaching — and fast.

"We simply weren't prepared for the need to move this fast," said John Fleck, head of the Water Resources Program at the University of New Mexico.

A boat travels along with Lake Powell near Page, Arizona. Lake Powell's elevation dipped below 3,525 feet (1,075 meters), a record low that exceeds a vital barrier that officials have long warned signals their capacity to produce electricity is in jeopardy. File photo AP - In this July 31, 2021.

"Spring rainfall will solve the shortage in temporary," said Wayne Pullan, regional director for the United States Bureau of Reclamation, which controls water and power in a dozen states. "However, our work isn't over."

Despite the fact that Lake Powell and its downstream counterpart, Lake Mead, are both draining faster than predicted, much of the region's attention has been on how to deal with water scarcity in Arizona, Nevada, and California, rather than energy supply.

The new level for Glen Canyon Dam is 35 feet (11 meters) above what is known as the "minimum power pool" — the level at which the dam's turbines will cease producing hydroelectric power.

If Lake Powell continues to fall, it may soon reach "Deadpool," the point at which water will likely fail to flow over the dam and onto Lake Mead. Arizona, Nevada, California, and Mexico have already established a mix of obligatory and voluntary reduction connected to Lake Mead levels.

Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Arizona is depicted in this photograph. Lake Powell's elevation dipped below 3,525 feet (1,075 meters), a record low that exceeds a vital barrier that officials have long warned signals their capacity to produce electricity is in jeopardy. File Photo AP: Aug. 21, 2019.

Glen Canyon Dam generates power for around 5 million users in seven states: Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.

It is provided by the government at a lower cost than the energy supplied on the wholesale market, which can be wind, solar, coal, or natural gas.

Less water flowing through Glen Canyon Dam can therefore increase total energy costs for the towns, rural electric cooperatives, and tribes who rely on its hydropower. Customers face the brunt of the consequences.

The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority, one of 50 tribal providers who rely on the dam for hydropower, is concerned about the situation. This year, it aims to invest $4.5 million in renewable energy sources.

"It's a really delicate matter for all of us right now," said Walter Haase, general manager of the tribal utility.

A houseboat is moored in a cove on Lake Powell near Page, Arizona. Lake Powell's elevation dipped below 3,525 feet (1,075 meters), a record low that exceeds a vital barrier that officials have long warned signals their capacity to produce electricity is jeopardized. File Photo AP: July 30, 2021.

Last summer, officials from the Bureau of Reclamation took an unprecedented move, diverting water from reservoirs in Wyoming, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado in what they called "emergency releases" to replenish Lake Powell. The EPA also held back water planned to be discharged through the dam in January to prevent it from falling much lower.

Anxiety extends beyond hydropower. Falling lake levels hampered tourism and boating last summer. The Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is taking advantage of Lake Powell's low levels to build new boat ramps. Most are now closed or come with a disclaimer that you launch at your own risk.

In-Page, Arizona, which benefits from Lake Powell recreation, officials started a campaign this month to emphasize that lower levels aren't necessarily negative for visitors, pointing out that retreating shorelines have revealed sunken boats, canyons, and other geological beauties.

"There's a lot of history out there," said City Councilman Richard Leightner. "Some of the original dwellings may be seen, and parts of the Old Spanish Trail are now accessible." It's an opportunity, but it all depends on the person's mindset."

Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Arizona is shown in this photograph. Lake Powell's elevation dropped below 3,525 feet (1,075 meters), a record low that exceeds a vital barrier that officials have long warned signals their capacity to produce electricity is jeopardized. File Photo AP: Aug. 21, 2019. 

The record low comes on the heels of a difficult year for hydropower. Drought in the West caused a dip in hydropower generation last year, making it difficult for officials to satisfy demand as the United States pushed to develop renewable energy. More than one-third of the nation's utility-scale renewable energy comes from hydropower.

Many variables, including precipitation and heat, will influence the amount to which Lake Powell recovers in the coming months, according to Nick Williams, the bureau's Upper Colorado Basin power manager.

Regardless, hydrological modeling indicates that there is a one-in-four possibility that it will not be able to produce power by 2024.

Source: Fonseca reported from Flagstaff, Arizona. AP.