In drought-stricken West, officials weigh emergency actions
2 years, 8 months ago

In drought-stricken West, officials weigh emergency actions

Associated Press  

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Federal officials say it may be necessary to reduce water deliveries to users on the Colorado River to prevent the shutdown of a huge dam that supplies hydropower to some 5 million customers across the U.S. West. The Interior Department has proposed holding back water in the lake to maintain Glen Canyon Dam’s ability to generate electricity amid what it said were the driest conditions in the region in more than 1,200 years. In the Colorado River basin, Glen Canyon Dam is the mammoth of power production, delivering electricity to about 5 million customers in seven states — Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. “Concepts like, ‘Are we going to get our water back’ just may not even be relevant anymore.” The potential impacts to lower basin states that could see their water supplies reduced — California, Nevada and Arizona — aren’t yet known. But the Interior’s move is a display of the wide-ranging functions of Lake Powell and Glen Canyon Dam, and the need to quickly pivot to confront climate change.

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History of this topic

Damage found inside Glen Canyon Dam increases water risks on the Colorado River
8 months, 1 week ago

Damage found inside Glen Canyon Dam increases water risks on the Colorado River

LA Times  

Federal officials have discovered damage inside Glen Canyon Dam that could force limits on how much Colorado River water is released at low reservoir levels, raising risks the Southwest could face shortages that were previously unforeseen. “Because of the dam’s design, there are real structural risks under low elevations that could potentially leave stranded as much water in Lake Powell …

10 trillion gallons of water lost in Colorado River Basin due to rising temperatures: Report
1 year, 4 months ago

10 trillion gallons of water lost in Colorado River Basin due to rising temperatures: Report

Hindustan Times  

The harmful effects of global warming are being felt very starkly across the United States. According to a report published by CNN, the Colorado River Basin has lost more than 10 trillion gallons of water between 2000 and 2021 due to rising temperatures. Colorado River Notably, the Colorado River runs through seven Western states and provides water for drinking, irrigation …

Half of US West out of drought, but not fully recovered
1 year, 7 months ago

Half of US West out of drought, but not fully recovered

Associated Press  

DENVER — Nearly half of the U.S. West has emerged from drought this spring, but the welcome wet conditions haven’t entirely replenished the region, scientists said Tuesday. Hydrologists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said deep snowpack across much of the West will bring short-term relief, but the equally deep “bathtub rings” at Lake Powell and Lake Mead reservoirs …

Half of US West out of drought, but not fully recovered
1 year, 7 months ago

Half of US West out of drought, but not fully recovered

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Hydrologists from the National Oceanic …

US floats options to reduce water pulled from Colorado River
1 year, 8 months ago

US floats options to reduce water pulled from Colorado River

Associated Press  

BOULDER CITY, Nev. — The Biden administration released an environmental analysis Tuesday that outlined two ways that seven Western states and tribes reliant on the overtapped Colorado River could cut their use, but declined to publicly take a side on the best option. But Beaudreau said states, Native American tribes and other water users recognized that it would be in …

Colorado River crisis is so bad, lakes Mead and Powell are unlikely to refill in our lifetimes
1 year, 10 months ago

Colorado River crisis is so bad, lakes Mead and Powell are unlikely to refill in our lifetimes

LA Times  

The snowpack in the Sierra Nevada is the deepest it’s been in decades, but those storms that were a boon for Northern California won’t make much of a dent in the long-term water shortage for the Colorado River Basin — an essential source of supplies for Southern California. “To think that these things would ever refill requires some kind of …

Federal officials say urgent action needed to protect shrinking Colorado River reservoirs
2 years ago

Federal officials say urgent action needed to protect shrinking Colorado River reservoirs

LA Times  

A boat sits in a cove on Lake Powell, in Utah, in May. Speaking at the conference Friday, Touton said: “I can feel the anxiety, the uncertainty in this room, and in the basin, as we look at the river and the hydrology that we face.” Touton noted that an agreement a century ago, the 1922 Colorado River Compact, divided …

Growing fears of ‘dead pool’ on Colorado River as drought threatens Hoover Dam water
2 years ago

Growing fears of ‘dead pool’ on Colorado River as drought threatens Hoover Dam water

LA Times  

The Colorado River’s largest reservoirs stand nearly three-quarters empty, and federal officials now say there is a real danger the reservoirs could drop so low that water would no longer flow past Hoover Dam in two years. Outlining their latest projections for Lake Powell and Lake Mead, the nation’s two largest reservoirs, federal water managers said there is a risk …

Drying California lake to get $250M in US drought funding
2 years ago

Drying California lake to get $250M in US drought funding

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The federal government said Monday it will spend $250 million over four years on environmental cleanup and restoration work around a drying Southern California lake that’s fed by the depleted Colorado River. The lake is largely fed by runoff from farms in California’s Imperial Valley, who use Colorado River water to grow many of the nation’s winter …

Feds to Colorado River states: reduce water usage, or we will do it for you
2 years, 1 month ago

Feds to Colorado River states: reduce water usage, or we will do it for you

Salon  

This story is part of the Grist series Parched, an in-depth look at how climate change-fueled drought is reshaping communities, economies, and ecosystems. In theory, the federal government can unilaterally cut water deliveries from the Colorado River's two main reservoirs, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, which release more than 2 trillion gallons of water to farms and cities across the …

New US plan could lead to federal action on Colorado River
2 years, 1 month ago

New US plan could lead to federal action on Colorado River

Associated Press  

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — The Interior Department announced Friday that it will consider revising a set of guidelines for operating two major dams on the Colorado River in the first sign of what could lead to federal action to protect the once-massive but shrinking reservoirs behind them. “At the same time, we are committed to taking prompt and decisive action necessary …

US states hit by extreme drought face more water cuts
2 years, 4 months ago

US states hit by extreme drought face more water cuts

Al Jazeera  

Cuts affecting Arizona and Nevada come as water levels at the nation’s largest manmade reservoir, Lake Mead, are set to drop further. For the second year in a row, the US states of Arizona and Nevada will face cuts in the amount of water they can draw from the Colorado River as the Western United States endures an extreme drought, …

As water crisis worsens on Colorado River, an urgent call for Western states to ‘act now’
2 years, 6 months ago

As water crisis worsens on Colorado River, an urgent call for Western states to ‘act now’

LA Times  

A person walks past a formerly sunken boat on a now-dry section of lakebed at Lake Mead, the country’s largest reservoir. She provided details about the federal government’s approach to the crisis two days after Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton announced that major cuts of between 2 million and 4 million acre-feet will be needed next year to keep reservoirs …

Major water cutbacks loom as shrinking Colorado River nears ‘moment of reckoning’
2 years, 6 months ago

Major water cutbacks loom as shrinking Colorado River nears ‘moment of reckoning’

LA Times  

Exposed banks of Lake Mead behind Hoover Dam show how low water levels have dropped on the Colorado River-fed reservoir due to persistent and worsening drought. As the West endures another year of unrelenting drought worsened by climate change, the Colorado River’s reservoirs have declined so low that major water cuts will be necessary next year to reduce risks of …

Tucson may forego some water to help keep Lake Mead level up
2 years, 7 months ago

Tucson may forego some water to help keep Lake Mead level up

Associated Press  

TUCSON, Ariz. — Arizona’s second most populous city has signaled it may forego part of its allotment of Colorado River water delivered by the Central Arizona Project aqueduct in order to help forestall a shortage declaration for Lake Mead that would trigger mandatory reductions. The Tucson City Council included its potential willingness to take 20% less CAP water in voting …

Water shortages on Colorado River could eventually hit California, Arizona warns
2 years, 7 months ago

Water shortages on Colorado River could eventually hit California, Arizona warns

LA Times  

A rainbow hangs over Lake Powell on March 28 in Page, Ariz. Lake Powell has declined to just 24% of full capacity, the lowest point since it was filled in the 1960s following the construction of Glen Canyon Dam. Federal projections show Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the country’s two largest reservoirs, will keep on declining in the coming months, …

US to hold back Lake Powell water to protect hydropower
2 years, 7 months ago

US to hold back Lake Powell water to protect hydropower

Associated Press  

SALT LAKE CITY — U.S. officials announced what they called extraordinary steps on Tuesday to keep hundreds of billions of gallons of water stored in a reservoir on the Utah-Arizona line to prevent it from shrinking more amid prolonged drought and climate change. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation plans to hold back about 480,000 acre-feet of water in Lake Powell …

Lake Powell officials take emergency steps to preserve hydropower from Glen Canyon Dam
2 years, 7 months ago

Lake Powell officials take emergency steps to preserve hydropower from Glen Canyon Dam

CNN  

CNN — The federal government announced Tuesday it is taking unprecedented, emergency steps to help boost water levels at Lake Powell. The agency said in a statement Tuesday’s decision was intended to protect “hydropower generation, the facility’s key infrastructure, and the water supply for the city of Page, Arizona, and the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation.” The emergency actions …

Drought Is Threatening Hydropower in the Southwestern US
2 years, 8 months ago

Drought Is Threatening Hydropower in the Southwestern US

Wired  

News that Lake Powell, a reservoir on the border of Arizona and Utah, is slowly but surely drying up has spread far and wide. Behind the 1,320-megawatt Glen Canyon Dam and power station, Lake Powell plays an important role in providing power for some 3 million customers in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. According to Becki Bryant, the …

Lake Powell hits historic low, raising hydropower concerns
2 years, 9 months ago

Lake Powell hits historic low, raising hydropower concerns

Associated Press  

SALT LAKE CITY — A massive reservoir known as a boating mecca dipped below a critical threshold on Tuesday raising new concerns about a source of power that millions of people in the U.S. West rely on for electricity. Lake Powell’s fall to below 3,525 feet puts it at its lowest level since the lake filled after the federal government …

Scientists see silver lining in fed’s efforts at Lake Powell
2 years, 11 months ago

Scientists see silver lining in fed’s efforts at Lake Powell

Associated Press  

ST. GEORGE, Utah — The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced last week that it plans to adjust management protocols for the Colorado River in early 2022 to reduce monthly releases from Lake Powell in an effort to keep the reservoir from dropping farther below 2021′s historic lows. That’s 27% of the reservoir’s capacity, 164 feet below full and just 11 …

Lake Powell has a 1-in-3 risk of hydropower shutdown in 2023 due to ‘megadrought’
3 years, 3 months ago

Lake Powell has a 1-in-3 risk of hydropower shutdown in 2023 due to ‘megadrought’

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Declining water levels at Lake Powell leaves a one-in-three chance that its dam will be …

US projections on drought-hit Colorado River grow more dire
3 years, 3 months ago

US projections on drought-hit Colorado River grow more dire

Associated Press  

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — The U.S. government released projections Wednesday that indicate an even more troubling outlook for a river that serves 40 million people in the American West. By 2025, there’s a 66% chance Lake Mead, a barometer for how much river water some states get, will reach a level where California would be in its second phase of cuts. …

EXPLAINER: Western states face first federal water cuts
3 years, 4 months ago

EXPLAINER: Western states face first federal water cuts

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — U.S. officials on Monday declared the first-ever water shortage from a river that serves 40 million people in the West, triggering cuts to some Arizona farmers next year amid a gripping drought. !function{"use strict";window.addEventListener{iffor{var t=document.getElementById||document.querySelector;t&&}}))};</script><p class="social-caption"></p></div><p>Lake Powell's levels also are falling, threatening the roughly 5 billion kilowatt hours of electricity generated each year at the Glen Canyon Dam.</p><p>Colorado, …

U.S. declares first-ever water shortage for Colorado river, triggering cuts in Western states
3 years, 4 months ago

U.S. declares first-ever water shortage for Colorado river, triggering cuts in Western states

LA Times  

A buoy sits above the waterline at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area on Aug. 13, 2021, near Boulder City, Nev. U.S. officials on Monday declared the first water shortage from a river that serves 40 million people in the West, triggering cuts to some Arizona farmers next year amid a gripping drought. But water levels at Lake Mead and …

First water cuts in US West supply to hammer Arizona farmers
3 years, 4 months ago

First water cuts in US West supply to hammer Arizona farmers

Associated Press  

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. — A harvester rumbles through the fields in the early morning light, mowing down rows of corn and chopping up ears, husks and stalks into mulch for feed at a local dairy. Standing next to a dry field, his boots kicking up dust, farmer Will Thelander said “more and more of the farm is going to look …

Recreation at risk as Lake Powell dips to historic low
3 years, 4 months ago

Recreation at risk as Lake Powell dips to historic low

Associated Press  

PAGE, Ariz. — A thick, white band of newly exposed rock face stretches high above boaters’ heads at Lake Powell, creating a sharp contrast against the famous red desert terrain as their vessels weave through tight canyons that were once underwater. Fluctuating water levels have long been a staple of Lake Powell, but National Park Service officials say the usual …

Lake Powell hits lowest water level on record
3 years, 4 months ago

Lake Powell hits lowest water level on record

CNN  

CNN — Plagued by climate change-fueled drought and increasing demand for water, Lake Powell, the second largest reservoir in the United States, has fallen to its lowest level on record since it was first filled more than 50 years ago. John Fleck, the director of the Water Resources Program at the University of New Mexico, told Lake Powell might not …

Key reservoir on Colorado River hits record low amid drought
3 years, 6 months ago

Key reservoir on Colorado River hits record low amid drought

Associated Press  

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A key reservoir on the Colorado River has dipped to its record low in the latest showing of the drought’s grip on the region. “We’re expecting the reservoir to keep declining until November, then it should start to rebound,” said U.S. Bureau of Reclamation spokeswoman Patti Aaron. “You look at the reservoir and it’s concerning.” Lake Mead …

Melting Snow Usually Means Water For The West. But This Year, It Might Not Be Enough
3 years, 7 months ago

Melting Snow Usually Means Water For The West. But This Year, It Might Not Be Enough

NPR  

Melting Snow Usually Means Water For The West. But This Year, It Might Not Be Enough Enlarge this image toggle caption Michael Elizabeth Sakas/CPR News Michael Elizabeth Sakas/CPR News There's still snow in Colorado's mountains near the headwaters of the South Platte River, and Brian Domonkos has strapped on a pair of cross-country skis to come measure it. Enlarge this …

6 Western states blast Utah plan to tap Colorado River water
4 years, 3 months ago

6 Western states blast Utah plan to tap Colorado River water

Associated Press  

CARSON CITY, Nev. — Six states in the U.S. West that rely on the Colorado River to sustain cities and farms rebuked a plan to build an underground pipeline that would transport billions of gallons of water through the desert to southwest Utah. In a joint letter Tuesday, water officials from Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Wyoming urged …

US West faces reckoning over water but avoids cuts for now
4 years, 4 months ago

US West faces reckoning over water but avoids cuts for now

Associated Press  

CARSON CITY, Nev. — The white rings that wrap around two massive lakes in the U.S. West are a stark reminder of how water levels are dropping and a warning that the 40 million people who rely on the Colorado River face a much drier future. “But people certainly ought to be aware that water — the importation of a …

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