Bureau Cuts Glen Canyon Dam Releases to 6 Million Acre-Feet as Lake Powell Nears 3,510 Feet
Updated
Updated · The Colorado Sun · Jul 6
Bureau Cuts Glen Canyon Dam Releases to 6 Million Acre-Feet as Lake Powell Nears 3,510 Feet
2 articles · Updated · The Colorado Sun · Jul 6
Summary
Lake Powell could fall from 3,527 feet in May to 3,510 feet by December, pushing Glen Canyon Dam toward a point where hydropower may have to stop to avoid cavitation damage.
The Bureau of Reclamation is responding by sending emergency water from upstream reservoirs and cutting downstream releases to 6 million acre-feet, the lowest allowed under current rules.
Low reservoir levels let more air enter turbine and outlet flows, raising the risk that collapsing vapor bubbles could damage turbines, valves and tubes; Reclamation has already spent $8.9 million on protective coating for outlet works.
The threat echoes Glen Canyon's 1983 spillway crisis, when cavitation blasted holes as large as 32 feet deep, but today the danger comes from too little water after 25 years of drought.
State, federal and tribal officials must finalize new Colorado River operating rules by October, while longer-term fixes such as new turbines or bypass tunnels remain under study until 2027.
As the Colorado River shrinks, must the American West sacrifice its farms to save its cities?
With a century-old water pact broken, can a new deal be struck before the system collapses?
2026 Colorado River Emergency: Historic Lows at Lake Powell and Mead Threaten Water, Power, and Communities
Overview
The Colorado River Basin is facing an unprecedented crisis as a historic drought, with only a quarter of the usual snowpack in 2026, has drastically reduced water flow into Lake Powell and Lake Mead. This has led to record-low inflows, early and weak streamflows, and a visible 'bathtub ring' on Lake Powell, highlighting the severity of water loss. As a result, the water supply for about 40 million people in the Southwest is at risk. Emergency measures are underway, but the situation remains critical, threatening communities, power generation, and the region’s future water security.