USBR plans Flaming Gorge releases and Lake Powell cutbacks
Updated
Updated · Newsweek · May 7
USBR plans Flaming Gorge releases and Lake Powell cutbacks
9 articles · Updated · Newsweek · May 7
The agency said 660,000 to 1 million acre-feet will be sent from Wyoming-Utah's Flaming Gorge through April 2027, while Powell releases to Lake Mead fall by 1.48 million acre-feet through September 2026.
Officials aim to keep Lake Powell above Glen Canyon Dam's 3,490-foot minimum power pool after storage fell to about 36% capacity, but lower Mead levels could cut Hoover Dam generation by up to 40%.
Experts and state officials warn the emergency step could strain future supplies, hurt boating and rafting, raise power costs, and damage Flaming Gorge's kokanee salmon fishery across the Colorado River Basin.
Who pays the price when officials sacrifice a fishery and power grid to temporarily save a single dam?
As a century-old water pact fails, can tribal rights and new tech avert a crisis in the American West?
Is a $40 billion nuclear desalination plan a real solution or a distraction from inevitable water cuts?
Colorado River Basin 2026: Emergency Water Releases, Historic Drought, and the Urgent Search for Sustainable Solutions
Overview
In spring 2026, the Colorado River Basin faced a severe water crisis, prompting the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to take emergency actions. These included releasing up to 1 million acre-feet of water from Flaming Gorge Reservoir into Lake Powell and reducing the flow from Lake Powell to Lake Mead. These measures were essential because forecasted inflows into Lake Powell were extremely low, similar to the record-dry year of 2002. While these interventions helped prevent immediate collapse, they significantly depleted critical reserves, highlighting the urgent need for long-term solutions as the region continues to struggle with drought and overuse.