The second largest reservoir in the U.S. just hit its lowest point on record as drought continues to plague the dwindling Colorado River.
Lake Powell — located between northern Arizona and southern Utah — had fallen to 3,519.8 feet as of Sunday, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. On Saturday, the lake’s water level dropped down past its previous low record, which was set in April 2023, The Hill reports.
The water in the lake is 3.8 feet lower than it was a month ago, according to USBR data.
It’s not the only major reservoir facing historic depletion. The water level in Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the U.S. and also fed by the Colorado River, has dropped more than 23 feet since the start of the year. As of Monday, its elevation is 1,039.83 feet, a record low.
Last month, the USBR projected that Lake Mead’s water level will fall below 1,110 feet by July 2028, which is nearly 120 feet below its benchmark for a “full pool,” according to the agency.
open image in galleryThe Colorado River and the pair of reservoirs are critical for seven states — Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming — as all rely on it for their water supplies. That includes hydropower production, recreation, fishing, wildlife, and agriculture.
Approximately 35 to 40 million people rely on the river and the reservoirs for their water.
The depletion of the Colorado River and the bodies it feeds is not a new problem; the river has been in a drought state for more than 25 years. Human-driven climate change and heavy use have only exacerbated the issue over the years.
Last month, the Department of the Interior released an Environmental Impact Report calling for the three Lower Basin states — Arizona, California, and Nevada — to adhere to strict new water management framework. The new rules will call for a mandatory water-use reduction of 3 million acre-feet annually through 2036.
open image in galleryThe new framework is facing opposition by some leaders from the Lower Basin states, including Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, who said the report “contains unacceptable options that include the federal government forcing Arizona to take the majority of draconian water cutbacks.”
“Inequitable, federally imposed cuts to our Colorado River water allocation will be unacceptable to Arizonans, and will put every American at risk,” she wrote in a statement following the release of the framework. “Previous federal proposals to slash Arizona’s Colorado River water would be devastating for our nation as we work to compete with China in the AI race, onshore critical supply chains, feed the country, and rebuild our depleted missile stockpile.”
The new plan will replace a 2007 framework that expires in the fall, according to the paper.
“This framework provides the flexibility to respond to changing hydrologic conditions while preserving the opportunity for the Basin States to continue working toward durable, consensus-based solutions,” Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said in a press release last month.