As the Colorado River shrinks, calls to drain Lake Powell grow

A prolonged drought, intensified by climate change, is reducing Colorado River flows and pushing Lake Powell towards levels that could prevent water from passing through Glen Canyon Dam to Lake Mead. The shortages are already affecting hydropower, ecosystems and water supplies, prompting officials to consider cuts and other measures, while some advocates propose draining Lake Powell.

The Glen Canyon Institute’s “Fill Mead First” plan would use new tunnels below the dam’s existing bypass tubes to send water downstream and allow Lake Mead to hold more. Advocates say it could restore Glen Canyon landscapes and habitats, including sites sacred to Indigenous people; critics have long viewed removing the reservoir as impractical because of lost power generation and cost. The article says Lake Powell recently fell to less than 150 feet above “dead pool”, when water can no longer pass through the bypass tubes.