Lake Powell Blog
Plain-English analysis of Lake Powell's water level — why the reservoir is low, whether it will refill, what drought and runoff forecasts show, and how Glen Canyon's numbers stack up against Lake Mead. Every post pulls live elevation data from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
Why Is Lake Powell So Low? The Drought, the Numbers, and What's Next
Lake Powell is low because of a 20-year megadrought and chronic overuse of the Colorado River. Here's how far it has fallen, why, and what would turn it around.
The 1983 Glen Canyon Dam Disaster: What Really Happened
A record 1983 snowmelt pushed Lake Powell to its all-time high and tore Glen Canyon Dam's spillways apart. The timeline, the numbers, and how close it came.
ReadLake Powell Minimum Power Pool: What Happens When Glen Canyon Dam Stops Making Power
Minimum power pool is 3,490 ft, where Glen Canyon Dam's turbines shut off. What the shutoff costs, who loses power, and how much cushion Lake Powell has left.
ReadUtah's 10 Largest Reservoirs, Ranked by Capacity
Lake Powell holds three times more water than Utah's next nine reservoirs combined. All 10 ranked by storage capacity, with live Lake Powell level data.
ReadThe 10 Largest Man-Made Lakes in the U.S., Ranked
Lake Mead and Lake Powell are America's two largest man-made lakes by capacity — and its two emptiest. All 10 ranked by full-pool storage, with live data.
Read21 Lake Powell Facts: The Numbers Behind the Reservoir
21 facts about Lake Powell — its 186-mile length, the 17-year fill, the 1983 spillway scare, the 2,000 archaeological sites beneath it, and its records.
Read7 Lake Powell Water-Level Records: Highest, Lowest, Fastest
Lake Powell's seven defining water-level records — the 3,708.34-ft high of 1983, the 3,519.92-ft low of 2023, the 65-foot rebound, and the 17-year fill.
ReadWhat's Under Lake Powell? 9 Places Drowned by the Reservoir
Under Lake Powell: Cathedral in the Desert, a 1776 river crossing, the ghost town of Hite, a gold dredge, and some 2,000 archaeological sites — mapped by depth.
ReadWhich Lake Powell Boat Ramps Are Open? Ramp-by-Ramp Water Levels
Most Lake Powell boat ramps are closed to motorized launching at today's low level. Here's the NPS minimum water level each ramp needs, plus which are open.
ReadHow Much Does Snowpack Raise Lake Powell?
A foot of Lake Powell takes about 57,600 acre-feet of water. Here's how mountain snowpack converts into reservoir elevation, and why 2026 broke the math.
ReadWhen Was Lake Powell Last Full? The Full-Pool Record, Explained
Lake Powell first hit full pool in 1980 and was last essentially full — 99% — in June 1987. The full-pool record, the 1983 high, and whether it refills.
ReadColorado River Reservoirs: The Whole System, Explained
The Colorado River's water sits in a chain of reservoirs, from Powell and Mead to Flaming Gorge. Here's how big each one is and how full the system is now.
ReadHow Much Water Is in Lake Powell? Capacity, Storage, and How Full It Is Now
Lake Powell holds about 25 million acre-feet at full pool — roughly 8 trillion gallons. Here's its capacity, what an acre-foot means, and how full it is now.
ReadGlen Canyon Dam vs. Hoover Dam: How the Two Colorado River Giants Compare
Hoover Dam is taller at 726 ft and holds back Lake Mead; Glen Canyon Dam has a longer crest and stores Lake Powell for the Upper Basin. Here's how they compare.
ReadWhen Will Lake Powell Reach Dead Pool? What the Forecasts Show
Lake Powell isn't projected to hit dead pool (3,370 ft) anytime soon. The line that matters first is minimum power pool at 3,490 ft, and the forecasts show why.
ReadHow Deep Is Lake Powell? Maximum Depth and How Deep It Is Now
Lake Powell is about 560 feet deep at Glen Canyon Dam at full pool, and much shallower now. Here's the max depth, the deepest point, and how depth is measured.
ReadWhere Does Lake Powell Get Its Water?
Lake Powell gets almost all its water from Rocky Mountain snowmelt, funneled down the Colorado and San Juan rivers through a 112,000-square-mile watershed.
ReadHow Low Is Lake Powell? Today's Level vs. the Record Low
Lake Powell's lowest level since it filled is 3,519.92 ft (April 13, 2023). See how today compares, why 2026 could break it, and how low the lake can go.
ReadLake Powell vs. Lake Mead: Which Is in Worse Shape?
Both Colorado River reservoirs are shrinking. Which is worse off? Powell is closer to losing hydropower; Mead is closer to dead pool, yet holds more water.
ReadLake Powell Water Level History: A Timeline From 1963 to Today
Lake Powell's water level history — from the 3,708.34-ft high in 1983 to the record low of 3,519.92 ft in 2023 and today. The full timeline, year by year.
ReadIs Lake Powell Drying Up? What the Numbers Actually Show
Lake Powell hit its lowest summer level on record in 2026, but it won't literally dry up. How far it has actually fallen, and what 'drying up' really describes.
ReadWhat Is Lake Powell's Dead Pool? (And How Close It Really Is)
Water can no longer pass through Glen Canyon Dam at elevation 3,370 ft, the threshold called dead pool. How close Lake Powell is, and what breaks if it arrives.
ReadWill Lake Powell Fill Back Up? What Snowpack and Runoff Forecasts Show
Big snow years lift Lake Powell fast, but a hotter, drier Colorado River basin keeps taking it back. Why full pool at 3,700 ft is unlikely under current trends.
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