Marc Edwards

🚨 LAKE POWELL IS NOW HIGHER THAN IT WAS IN 2022! What we’re witnessing at Lake Powell is becoming increasingly unusual. The reservoir has climbed an incredible 19 FEET since its mid-September low, and the water continues to pour in following weeks of exceptional rainfall across the Four Corners and San Juan River watershed. Take a look at the graph. It really puts this into perspective. Lake Powell has now moved above its 2022 levels, despite typically seeing reservoir levels decline during the fall. These kinds of gains this time of year are anything but ordinary. A few important numbers: 📈 19 feet: Rise since the mid-September low. 📊 164 feet: Still below full pool. We have a long way to go. 🌊 7%: The estimated contribution from Flaming Gorge releases to the recent rise. That last number is important. Flaming Gorge has been releasing additional water into the Colorado River system for months, but it accounts for only about 7% of this recent increase. The overwhelming majority of the rise is being driven by natural runoff from the extraordinary precipitation across the Four Corners, particularly the San Juan River basin. And remember, this isn’t just rain falling directly into Lake Powell. Enormous amounts of water are moving through tributaries, rivers and drainage basins. That runoff takes time to make its way downstream and into the reservoir, meaning Powell can continue rising even after the heaviest precipitation has ended.