After an epically dry winter and a tense summer for the Colorado River, the autumn has delivered a rare boost to one of its most iconic stretches. In recent days, heavy rains pushed Colorado River flows through the Grand Canyon to their highest levels in years. The rains, which also caused flooding and destruction in communities throughout the Four Corners region, provided a crucial slug of water to the Grand Canyon’s unique ecosystems. River scientists are still gathering precise information about the exact volume of water surging through the river, but experts estimate flows reached at least 21,000 cubic feet per second. According to the U.S. Geological Survey’s measuring station above Diamond Creek, that marks the highest rate of flow since April 2023, when water managers deliberately sent a massive, sudden burst of water through the canyon.

Other Southwest storm news:

• Las Vegas Review-Journal: Going up: Water level at Lake Powell rises after recent rainstorms
• The Colorado Sun (Denver): What officials know so far about major flood impacts in southwestern Colorado
• KJZZ (Phoenix): Several Grand Canyon hiking trails reopen following August’s deadly flash floods
• The Land Desk: Blog: The San Juan River swells up, spreads destruction
• John Fleck at Inkstain: Blog: Farmington flood