Lake Powell, the vital reservoir for the Southwest, hits record low - USA Today
Lake Powell has reached its lowest water level on record due to a persistent, climate-change-exacerbated drought in the American West. Federal officials warn that further declines could threaten hydroelectric power generation and water supplies for millions of people.
Why it matters
As a critical water source for the Southwest, the reservoir's decline poses severe risks to regional agriculture, energy stability, and municipal water access.
Hear this story Lake Powell, the giant reservoir on the Utah-Arizona border that helps power millions of homes, has fallen to its lowest level ever amid a worsening Western drought exacerbated by climate change.
The lake's surface dropped to 3,519.91 feet above sea level Aug. 15, according to the Bureau of Reclamation's automated gauge system. The previous low was 3,519.92 feet, reached in April 2023. Dropping below 3,490 feet could imperil the lake's ability to generate electricity, and federal officials have been pulling water out of smaller reservoirs upstream to help delay reaching that level.
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