LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — On Friday, the Department of the Interior announced an emergency plan for Colorado River drought management that could send levels at Lake Mead spiraling downwards.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said between now and October, the Bureau of Reclamation will cut releases out of Lake Powell to the minimum amount legally allowed to protect the Glen Canyon Dam’s ability to produce power.
However, the plan could adversely affect Hoover Dam’s generating capacity. The Bureau said by as early as this fall, the dam could produce 40 percent less electricity.
Drought conditions intensify across basin
Long-term drought has reduced Colorado River system storage to about 36 percent of capacity. The combination of the lowest snowpack on record and record-breaking March heat has further intensified drought conditions across the basin.
Lake Powell’s water year minimum probable inflow is forecasted at just 2.78 million acre-feet — 29 percent of historical average and one of the lowest on record. Reclamation’s April “24 Month Study” projects Lake Powell may decline to below 3,490 feet — the minimum power pool level — by August without major intervention.
If Glen Canyon Dam declines below 3,490 feet, water releases would be only through the river outlet works, which could cause operational issues, uncertainty for users, downstream impacts, instability in regional power and water supplies, and a reduction in power generation.
Plan to stabilize system
To stabilize the system, Reclamation is moving quickly. Initial plans include adding up to about 2.48 million acre-feet of water to Lake Powell by moving water from the upstream Flaming Gorge Reservoir and by reducing releases from Lake Powell.
Through the 2019 Drought Response Operating Agreements, Reclamation intends to release 660,000 acre-feet to 1 million acre-feet from Flaming Gorge Reservoir from April 2026 through April 2027. Reclamation intends to reduce the annual release volume from Lake Powell to Lake Mead by 1.48 million acre-feet — from 7.48 million acre-feet to 6.0 million acre-feet — through September by utilizing section 6E of the Record of Decision from the final 2024 Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for near-term Colorado River Operations.
Together, these actions are expected to increase Lake Powell’s elevation by approximately 54 feet to at least elevation 3,500 feet by April 2027.
Flaming Gorge Reservoir now holds about 3.1 million acre-feet of water, which is 83 percent full. These actions are expected to lower the reservoir’s elevation by roughly 35 feet over the next year to approximately 59 percent of capacity. This will have no effect on contracted water rights at Flaming Gorge or Lake Powell.
No additional releases from the other upstream initial units of the Colorado River Storage Project Act — Blue Mesa and Navajo reservoirs — are planned at this time, due to their low water levels and poor forecasted inflows.
Officials respond
Burgum met with governors for the seven basin states — Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming — and their designees to discuss the concerning hydrology and plans for operations.
“I am grateful for the Governors and their teams working diligently to find a solution to the complex challenges created by these unprecedented drought conditions which require immediate action,” Burgum said.
Assistant Secretary — Water and Science Andrea Travnicek said, “Given the severity of the risks facing the Colorado River system, it is imperative that we take action quickly to protect a resource that supplies water to 40 million people and supports vital agricultural, hydropower production, tribal, wildlife, and recreational uses across the region.”
Southern Nevada response
The Southern Nevada Water Authority said the announcement underscores the severity of the hydrologic challenges confronting the Colorado River Basin and highlights the urgent need for continued conservation by all Colorado River water users.
“The historically low snowpack, prolonged drought, and declining reservoir levels make clear that sustained conservation across the entire Basin is critical to reducing risk to water deliveries, hydropower generation, and essential infrastructure,” the authority said in a statement. “This is exactly why Southern Nevada’s comprehensive conservation policies were implemented 25 years ago.”
The authority said Southern Nevada has reduced local water consumption by 40 percent since 2002, even as the population has grown by 55 percent.
“This clearly demonstrates that all communities in the Basin can take action to conserve while maintaining strong economies and quality of life,” the statement said. “We remain committed to working closely with our Basin partners, tribes, and the federal government to stabilize the system, preserve flexibility, and ensure the Colorado River can continue to serve the 40 million people who depend on it—now and for future generations.”
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