Lake Powell has an issue: More water is streaming out than flowing in. As of Sunday, Lake Powell’s water level measured 3,530 feet above sea level. Though this is higher than it was at this time in 2022 and 2023, officials in Utah and at the Bureau of Reclamation are worried that water levels could dip beneath what is required to generate hydropower. The reservoir is currently 26% full and could drop to 16% by Sept. 30. By March 2027, Lake Powell’s elevations could hit 3,476 feet, a record low. … To stabilize Lake Powell’s water levels, there are two options: increase the flow by releasing water from upper dams or decrease the amount of water taken out.

Other Colorado River news:

• KTAR (Phoenix): Rep. Greg Stanton says Arizona does not want Interior Sec. to make Colorado River water decision
• Outside Magazine (Boulder, Colo.): Lake Powell is bracing for unusually low water levels ahead of summer tourism season
• NBC9 (Denver, Colo.): Colorado River states miss deadlines, leaving potential for Trump administration to make new rules
• Wyoming Tribune Eagle (Cheyenne): Lawmakers set water priority topics for interim
• The Desert Review (Brawley, Calif.): California water officials urge stronger legal review in Post-2026 Colorado River Plan
• Arizona Daily Star (Tucson): Opinion: What the drying Colorado River reveals about us
• John Fleck at Inkstain: Blog: In which my colleagues and I share thoughts on the future of Colorado River governance