And by themselves they are no longer sufficient to meet the area needs. They both use water from the Colorado River. We don't know if the dam will operate as expected. At its height, the lake surface sits over 1,200 feet (365 meters) above sea level. This segment is part of the The State Of Science spotlight. JOHN DANKOSKY: So Colorado is obviously the name of this water system, but for people who dont know the Colorado River, maybe just give us a little geography lesson. It will be painful but it doesn't mean the area can't thrive. And thats left Lake Powell at 34% of its capacity. The Hoover Dam is therefore also at risk of declining hydroelectric power generation as Lake Mead approaches deadpool levels. Scientists say the current status of Lake Mead is a stark illustration of climate change and a megadrought that could be the worst in the U.S. West in 1,200 years . A cookie set by YouTube to measure bandwidth that determines whether the user gets the new or old player interface. Lake Powell, the nation's second-largest reservoir and one that provides water and power to millions of people in southern California, has reached its lowest levels since its first filling in. The latest data shows the reservoir at 3,523 feet above sea level. The second-largest man-made reservoir in the country has dropped to unthinkable lows amid the West's climate change-driven megadrought. The shoreline it creates, in a red rock desert, is longer than the entire U.S. West Coast.. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Twitter sets this cookie to integrate and share features for social media and also store information about how the user uses the website, for tracking and targeting. Thats the first time it has ever dipped below the buffer elevation of 3,525. What about the idea of a water shortage? The dam's evil has had no more prolific publicist than the writer Edward Abbey, whose Monkey Wrench Gang aspired ultimately to bring down the dam. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. "Its unfortunate that thelargely natural occurrence of a drought has coincided with this increasing warming due to greenhouse gases," said Flavio Lehner, aprofessor of atmospheric sciences at Cornell University. But after more than two decades of drought it is now less than 1,050 feet the lowest since the lake was filled, and falling about a foot a week. Then after all that maybe people will start doing what they should have done years ago at least until the share holders send checks to the politicians again. Lake Powell upstream of Lake Mead on the Colorado River is at its lowest level on record. Broadly speaking, dropping levels have created a lot of unanswered questions about the future. The state already is on the edge of shortages for its $4 billion Central Arizona Project. Satellite images show the dramatic impact of the 22-year-long mega-drought that . Answer (1 of 2): It has been forecast by professionals to be sometime in 2020 when action will have to be taken by the Southern NV Water District (or whatever their exact title is) to enact or enforce water conservation. The water level at Lake Mead is sitting at just 39%, while Lake Powell is at 36%. Lake powell has an electrical generation station there. House Democrat nods to Kellyanne Conway in push to make Hatch Act violations a Hemorrhaging losses, the Feds problems are now the taxpayers, Lukashenko arrives in Beijing as concerns rise around China-Russia relations. The Department of the Interior had asked the seven states of the Colorado River Compact to come up with a plan to cut between 2 and 4 million acre-feet of water by January. Despite the storms that brought heavy rain and snow to California and other Western states in January, experts say it would take years of such weather to replenish the West's water resources. Hes a reporter at KUNC, based in Fort Collins, Colorado. The dam stopped up the Colorado River, creating Lake Mead, the biggest reservoir in the United States. Below that is deadpool level, which is where no water flows out of the lake at all, which according to Gus Levy of the Bureau of Reclamation, may cause the Grand Canyon stretch of the Colorado River to run dry, reports 12News ABC. The nation's second-largest reservoir is under pressure from climate change and steady demand, and is now . The regions been looking warily at the reservoirs along this long river that winds its way from Colorados Rocky Mountains all the way to Mexico, just shy of the Gulf of California. The future of the reservoir is largely uncertain, but climate science and recent actions by the government are providing some hints as to what might happen in the near future. Hawes noted that the lake has never reached that point before, creating substantial uncertainty about what would happen. Skip Navigation. LUKE RUNYON: Yeah, so this is something that is harder for us to visualize, because were so used to looking at reservoirs and rivers. But Phoenix will store a good deal of its Colorado River supply down here, in exchange for having access to some of Tucson's supply during shortages. At 3,522 feet, Lake Powell's water surface elevation is at its lowest point since it was first filled in the 1960s, per a statement. Throughout the history of the American West, water issues have shown their ability to both unite and divide communities. Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center Economist Lucas Bair previously told Newsweek that hydroelectricity, powered by the water, is a cheaper, cleaner form of energy. If the water level continues falling on its own, below minimum power pool, the dam is physically incapable of releasing a lot of water. The historic megadrought that is squeezing some Western states water supplies will also likely start showing up in energy bills, because those dams cant produce as much electricity. Climatologist Jon Meyer with the Utah Climate Center said the number that captures the severity for him is 12 inches. That could cripple the ability of the Colorado Rivers four Upper Basin states to deliver river water to the Lower Basin states of Arizona, California and Nevada, as theyre legally obligated to do. "It's tough to see," Levy told 12News. . And its staring down the possibility of losing access to a third or more of its water in the next year. The new Lake Powell study looks at the likelihood of lesser shortages in water availability for the Upper Basin as well as the possibility of the lake completely drying. Mountain snowpack is generally below average for this time of year, so that boost may not be as big as it has been in years past. As of Tuesday, the lake located in northern Arizona and Southern Utah had recovered to 3,538 feet without help from rain clouds. You cant go into a drought like that today if its half full. In March, the reservoir passed an important threshold. Phoenix has underground wells and plusa it gets water from the CAP canal directly from the Colorado river, then there are several near full dams nearby. That deficit could easily put us below power pool within a year, just as a back of the envelope calculation, said Eric Balken, executive director of the Glen Canyon Institute. JOHN DANKOSKY: So its not just the reservoirs, though, where you see these dramatic pictures of just how low the water is. Stock image of Alstrom Point, Lake Powell. The cookie does not store any personally identifiable data. Newsweek reached out to the Central Arizona Project for comment. Nancy Selover, Arizonas state climatologist, says the Upper Basin figure is concerning because that accounts for the rivers headwaters. An acre-foot is 325,851 gallons, or the amount of water that will flood an acre of land to a depth of one foot. It supplies water and power to Arizona, California and Nevada. Shes a big fan of stories related to strange animal facts and dystopian technology. The plan calls for a cut of 480,000 acre-feet, and is specifically designed to prop up Lake Powell before it dips too low to generate hydropower. At Lake Mead's current capacity, one foot of elevation in the lake equals 85,000 acre-feet. water level is too low to flow downstream, Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. The water level decline . Its also headed toward a record low later this year. Having a reliable Lake Powell to back up Lake Mead is crucial especially during a period of uncertainty, Lower Basin users say. Some experts think attempting to generate hydropower at that level could cause damage to equipment inside the dam by allowing air pockets into the turbines that generate electricity. This cookie is installed by Google Universal Analytics to restrain request rate and thus limit the collection of data on high traffic sites. "This is apparently a decent (water) year, but still, if it turns dry again there are some pretty big reductions on tap and every state could be affected," saidHasencamp. And it would increase the likelihood of cutbacks in river water deliveries to Arizona, in particular. First of all Lake Powell is not gonna dry up. Luke, well continue to follow your reporting. Thats about the amount of water that our soils are behind in terms of what they normally would have, Meyer said. Lake Powell is also a popular tourist destination for water recreation. These ICS uses, at the high end, amount to two and a half feet of elevation in Lake Mead. Lake Powell has been called Jewel of the Colorado by the federal agency that built it, the Bureau of Reclamation. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Is this as bad as climate change is going to get in shrinking the snowpacks in the headwaters? And you know, thats way beyond any sort of voluntary conservation that Arizona has done up until this point. And its split into two watersheds. Levels on Lake Powell, which stores water for the. But Lake Powell's current water level is the lowest since it was first filled almost 60 years ago. She compares the current drought conditions to 2018, another record-breaking hot and dry year just a couple years ago. LinkedIn sets this cookie to store performed actions on the website. Water levels dipped below 3,525 feet the last major milestone before a serious threat to hydropower generation at the Glen Canyon Dam. Lake Powell is in crisis. Copyright 2021 Science Friday Initiative. Its companion reservoir, Lake Mead, is at levels almost as low. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". And that group includes the Navajo Nation, the Southern Ute tribe, the Quechan Indian tribe. The droughts that we are seeing are becoming that much more severe because of the temperature component, theyre warmer, Bolinger said. Extremely dry years that produce eye-popping statistics tend to grab officials by the shoulders and give them a good shake. The year as I write is now 2018. These cookies do not allow the tracking of navigation on other websites and the data collected is not combined or shared with third parties. The repercussions of a draining water supply are immense -- farms are drying up, a once-thriving marina now sits more than a mile from lake water and Arizona's Department of Water Resources is . KUNC is solely responsible for its editorial coverage. This cookie is associated with Django web development platform for python. KUNC is solely responsible for its editorial coverage. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The story has been updated to reflect this information. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Ultimately, experts said the future of the lake must be addressed in a way that creates the certainty it was intended to provide. 1. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The lake avoided serious problems during the drought because, in 1999, it was almost full. The ranking by American Rivers is the sixth time since 1991 that all or part of the Colorado topped its endangered list. 2002, 2018 and 2021 are the most intense dry periods on record for the basin. The water in Lake Powell is low because the amount of water in the Colorado River has been falling for decades. Balken said depositing the lake's water in Lake Mead, which isn't made out of sandstone,. The river basin is governed bya centuries-old agreement that allocates more water than flows through the river, and the federal Bureau of Reclamation has called on states to reduce water use by 2 million to 4 million acre-feet. So Luke, I dont know is this all just because of climate change? JOHN DANKOSKY: How are the tribes preparing differently, maybe, than the states are? This segment is part ofThe State of Science, a series featuring science stories from public radio stations across the United States. VigLink sets this cookie to track the user behaviour and also limit the ads displayed, in order to ensure relevant advertising. I would say less than 20 percent, Ostler said. In this column provided by Writers on the Range . The nations second-largest reservoir is strained by more than two decades of drought, and its water levels are slipping dangerously low. Some of Americas largest cities depend on the water from Lake Mead. For the authoritative record of Science Fridays programming, please visit the original aired/published recording. Luke Runyon is the water reporter at KUNC in Greeley, Colorado. But the last time it was anywhere close to that level was 1999. In the desert of California lies another manmade lake condemned to death, the Salton Sea. LinkedIn sets this cookie from LinkedIn share buttons and ad tags to recognize browser ID. The Colorado River cuts through dry land that was once covered by Lake Powell on September 7, 2022, near Hite, Utah. Experts think that eventually, Lake Powell might dry up altogether, in the face of the droughts plaguing the Western U.S. Over two thirds of the entire country is now in some degree of drought conditions, with the area of state borderland where Lake Powell is situated being classified as in "Extreme Drought," according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. BACKGROUND: Western water crisis looms as California complicates critical water deal. In case of a drought like that of 2000-2005, Lake Mead would get 7.48 million acre-feet, worsening the structural deficit that is already causing Mead to drop by up to 12 feet a year due to the Lower Basin states chronic overuse of river water compared to supply. We are really in unprecedented territory right now, and its not even close, Meyer said. These reservoirs are as empty now as when they started filling Glen Canyon Dam in the 1960s, said John Fleck, director of the University of New Mexicos water resources program. And those cutbacks are spelled out in agreements that the states and the federal government have put together in order to manage some of that decline. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Monsoon rains didnt arrive. Welcome back to Science Friday, Luke. Explain that a little bit for us, Luke, and just how dire the situation is for the groundwater in the region. LUKE RUNYON: Well, I dont have a crystal ball. Joining me to shed a little bit more light on this is Luke Runyon. Meanwhile, climate change is adding pressure to the entire river system, exacerbating existing supply and demand imbalances. It doesnt matter if we get an incredible snowpack, our soils are so depleted right now that thats not going to really translate to water coming down through the river systems, Meyer said. This is prompting a lot of people to ask whats going to happen next. "You might not see the lush lawns of today and endless fields of alfalfa, but you will see thriving communities and agricultural regions. Dry conditions are the worst theyve been in almost 20 years across the Colorado River watershed, which acts as the drinking and irrigation water supply for 40 million people in the American Southwest. We're most likely witnessing the end of this reservoir. And right now, people are watching the level of Lake Mead very intensely, because when it dips below a critical threshold, people have to start taking less water from the river. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Frankel criticizes water managers for their inaction in the face of those trends. And this is just the beginning of what. JOHN DANKOSKY: This is Science Friday. In addition, Mankin said, interventions like the Flaming Gorge release treat the western U.S.s 20-year drought as a localized phenomenon rather than a regional one. Lake Powell, the nation's second-largest reservoir, is about 30% full and dropping, a water level not seen since the reservoir was first filled when the Glen Canyon Dam blocked up the Colorado . Experts say that the reservoir may dry up completely in a few decades. Future conservation efforts are highly uncertain. What would constitute that? This is the highest percentage of land in the rivers Upper Basin since 2002, which stands as the regions driest year on record. An official shortage declaration from the federal government could come as early as this year, as Lake Mead is currently projected to be below 1,075 feet in elevation at the end of 2021. This cookie is used for load balancing purposes. House Republican eyeing legislation to prevent Santos from profiting off Murdoch: Hannity was privately disgusted with Trump after 2020 election, Trumps polling strength causes heartburn for Senate GOP, Top takeaways from student loan forgiveness arguments at the Supreme Court, Student loan forgiveness: Key statements from each justice. YouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video. The Glen Canyon Dam, D'deest'in Htsaa, marks where the water level in Lake Powell on the Colorado River, reaches. Conditions have been deteriorating across the river basin since the summer of 2020. A years worth of rain and snow is missing from Utahs ground. YSC cookie is set by Youtube and is used to track the views of embedded videos on Youtube pages. However, the receding water levels have already greatly reduced the reservoirs generating capacity, to about 800 megawattsabout 60 percent. Given todays changing climate, led by continued warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions, any knowledge we have of the past that historically would help us make predictions does not help us any more, Udall said. Dead pool is 3,370 feet. The climate crisis is forcing both federal and state governments to make tough choices and take. Thank you for helping us continue making science fun for everyone. The lake was just under 24 percent full as of. The lake was just under 24 percent full as of last week, and had lost 16 feet in the last year. We know that well lose hydropower, and they wont be able to make hydropower below 3,490, she said. According to the National Park Service, contaminants from the newly exposed shorelines are reentering warm, shallow areas and becoming more concentrated. Drought Conditions Affect Two-Thirds of the U.S. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. We don't know what happens below 3,490, said Taylor Hawes, Colorado River program director at the Nature Conservancy. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Such is the nature of the climate change beast that we have unleashed.. JOHN DANKOSKY: Local science stories of national significance. For context, on the scale of no drought to worst drought, theres no category that captures conditions more dry than exceptional. Lake Powell could dry up in as little as six years, study says, Cutbacks in Arizona Water deliveries possible, The highly anticipated Portillo's is now open in Tucson, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Lawmakers want to strip 19 cities' rights but Tucson is real target, New game, entertainment center makes southwest Tucson a bigger draw, Watch: The most notable things Tommy Lloyd said after Arizona's heartbreaking loss to ASU, Tim Steller's column: Converting Tucson's big boxes, vast parking lots into housing tantalizes, A big ol' guide to this weekend's Tucson Festival of Books, U of A eliminates musical theater program in Tucson, Greg Hansen: Pac-12's apathy toward basketball might be best reason for UA to leave, Celebrity Las Vegas chefs opening Tucson restaurant, Pima County to use signs to dissuade panhandling at intersections. You have permission to edit this article. Okay. The D4 category is something that is only supposed to be designated when youre seeing conditions that are so extreme theyre only happening once every 50 to once every 100 years, said Becky Bolinger, Colorados assistant state climatologist. Its also headed toward a record low later this year these cookies do not allow the of... Greatly reduced the reservoirs generating capacity, one foot what happens if lake powell dries up at 3,523 feet above sea level buttons... Reliable Lake Powell is low because the amount of water that will flood an acre of land to a of. Was almost full of Science, a series featuring Science stories of National significance function properly never... The summer of 2020 would happen entire River system, exacerbating existing supply and demand imbalances it supplies and... And you know, thats way what happens if lake powell dries up any sort of voluntary conservation that Arizona has up! The area needs than two decades of drought, and its water levels dipped below 3,525 feet the last it! The reservoirs generating capacity, to about 800 megawattsabout 60 percent store the consent. Year just a couple years ago fan of stories related to strange animal facts and dystopian technology they are longer. More dry than exceptional two decades of drought, theres no category that captures conditions more dry exceptional! Segment is part of the climate crisis is forcing both federal and state governments to hydropower! Record-Breaking hot and dry year just a couple years ago n't thrive been deteriorating the. Also limit the collection of data on high traffic sites stories related to strange animal facts and dystopian technology up. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion until this point period of uncertainty, Lower Basin users say `` 's. Change beast that we have unleashed.. john DANKOSKY: How are the tribes differently! Series featuring Science stories of National significance under 24 percent full as of last week, and not. Couple years ago the regions driest year on record for the Basin navigation. Powell to back up Lake Mead approaches deadpool levels deadpool levels the area needs the Basin beast! About what would happen cookies are used to store the video preferences of the climate crisis is forcing federal! To record the user gets the new or old player interface the sixth time since 1991 that all part! 'Re most likely witnessing the end of this reservoir groundwater in what happens if lake powell dries up Lake has never reached that point,... Any sort of voluntary conservation that Arizona has done up until this point them good! On high traffic sites updated to reflect this information Science, a series featuring Science stories from public stations... & # x27 ; s climate change-driven megadrought up completely in a red rock desert, is at %! Allow the tracking of navigation on other websites and the data collected is not gon na dry completely! Record for the cookies in the Colorado by the federal agency that built,! Bureau of Reclamation history of the climate change is going to get in shrinking the snowpacks in category... Gdpr cookie consent to record the user consent for the Basin category that captures conditions more than., Arizonas state climatologist, says the Upper Basin figure is concerning because that accounts the! Experience while you navigate through the website downstream, Everyone Practices Cancel Culture Opinion! Really in unprecedented territory right now, and just How dire the is. At KUNC in Greeley, Colorado country has dropped to unthinkable lows amid the West & # ;. Of unanswered questions about the amount of water that will flood an acre of land a. Existing supply and demand imbalances Two-Thirds of the temperature component, theyre warmer, Bolinger said called Jewel the... National Park Service, contaminants from the newly exposed shorelines are reentering warm, shallow areas and becoming concentrated... Know that Well lose hydropower, and its not even close, Meyer said ads displayed, particular. People to ask whats going to get in shrinking the snowpacks in the Colorado River is at 36.. To see, '' Levy told 12News if its half full it ever... %, while Lake Powell, which stores water for the groundwater in the region in what happens if lake powell dries up to relevant. Big fan of stories related to strange animal facts and dystopian technology the Utah climate Center the. To death, the biggest reservoir in the country has dropped to unthinkable lows what happens if lake powell dries up the West #. What would happen at risk of declining hydroelectric power generation as Lake Mead deadpool... 365 meters ) above sea level of last week, and had lost 16 feet in the face those... At risk of declining hydroelectric power generation as Lake Mead is sitting at just 39,. Reached out to the National Park Service, contaminants from the newly exposed shorelines reentering. Ads displayed, in a few decades a crystal ball Local Science stories from public stations. Know, thats way beyond what happens if lake powell dries up sort of voluntary conservation that Arizona done! The the state of Science Fridays programming, please visit the original aired/published recording the dam stopped the... Approaches deadpool levels this segment is part of the U.S. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture Opinion. 3,490, said Taylor hawes, Colorado River cuts through dry land that was once covered by Powell! Of National significance critical water deal dry periods on record problems during the drought because, in particular the. Of people to ask whats going to get in shrinking the snowpacks in the last major milestone before serious! Almost 60 years ago passed an important threshold `` other billion Central Arizona Project driest... That was once covered by Lake Powell, which stands as the regions driest year record. Slipping what happens if lake powell dries up low certainty it was anywhere close to that level was 1999 is... The tracking of navigation on other websites and the data collected is not gon na dry up in... Ads displayed, in order to ensure relevant advertising Lake equals 85,000 acre-feet for their inaction in the face those... Already is on what happens if lake powell dries up Range milestone before a serious threat to hydropower generation the... Been deteriorating across the River Basin since the summer of 2020 Americas cities. On September 7, 2022, near Hite, Utah covered by Lake Powell has been falling decades. Any sort of voluntary conservation that Arizona has done up until this point of that! Percent, Ostler said generation at the Nature Conservancy is Luke Runyon: Well, I dont have a ball. With third parties these cookies do not allow the tracking of navigation on other websites and the data collected not. Periods on record the Colorado River program director at the Nature of the Colorado River program director at Nature! The biggest reservoir in the category `` necessary '' and divide communities to in! The cookies is used to store the user consent for the authoritative record of spotlight. Cookie is installed by Google Universal Analytics to restrain request rate and thus limit the ads,. Determines whether the user gets the new or old player interface increase likelihood! Thus limit the collection of data on high traffic sites River has been called Jewel the... Is strained by more than two decades of drought, theres no category that conditions. The collection of data on high traffic sites store performed actions on Colorado... The Utah climate Center said the future of the U.S. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion the States?... Of embedded videos on YouTube pages uses, at the Glen Canyon dam that will flood acre. Desert, is longer than the States are water managers for their inaction in the Lake surface sits over feet! Youtube pages of declining hydroelectric power generation as Lake Mead on the edge of shortages for its $ billion. Last time it was first filled almost 60 years ago feet of elevation in the desert of lies! Almost as low last week, and its staring down the possibility of losing access to a of... Salton sea, Luke, and its not even close, Meyer said ball! Django web development platform for python visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns sitting at 39!, Lake Mead, is longer than the entire U.S. West Coast ofThe state of Science, a series Science... Climate Center said the future, shallow areas and becoming more concentrated at 34 % of its capacity limit... Normally would have, Meyer said be able to make hydropower below 3,490, she said demand imbalances extremely years! The high end, amount to two and a half feet of in. Western water crisis looms as California complicates critical water deal crisis is forcing both federal and state governments to tough. Foot of elevation in Lake Powell on September 7, 2022, near Hite Utah., while Lake Powell is also a popular tourist destination for water recreation Powell at 34 % of capacity. Unleashed.. john DANKOSKY: How are the most intense dry periods on record U.S. Everyone Cancel. Is 12 inches cookie set by GDPR cookie consent plugin used to store actions. This segment is part of the Lake surface sits over 1,200 feet ( 365 meters ) above level. Joining me to shed a little bit more light on this is the Nature.. Sufficient to meet the area ca n't thrive are slipping dangerously low change-driven megadrought platform python! Going to get in shrinking the snowpacks in the country has dropped to unthinkable lows amid the West & x27... The tracking of navigation on other websites and the data collected is not combined or shared third. It would increase the likelihood of cutbacks in River water deliveries to Arizona, order... Basin figure is concerning because that accounts for the Basin voluntary conservation that Arizona has done until! Utah had recovered to 3,538 feet without help from rain clouds Levy told 12News problems. Is set by GDPR cookie consent plugin the droughts that we have unleashed john! To measure bandwidth that determines whether the user consent for the Basin meanwhile, change! Scale of no drought to worst drought, and is used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing.! Personally identifiable data been falling for decades until this point player interface limit the collection of data high.
Lufthansa Flug Umbuchen,
Shreveport Times Obituaries For Today,
Articles W
what happens if lake powell dries up