Is Lake Powell a dependable source of water for southwestern Utah?
The reservoirs on the Colorado River system are rarely expected to be full. Significant periods of above-average precipitation and runoff, however, could fill the reservoirs to capacity. The rest of the time they are expected to rise and fall as a function of wet or dry years. Storage is designed to withstand long-term droughts and water levels are expected to vary. It should be no surprise that Lake Powell is currently low considering the drought conditions that have been prevalent since 2000. During 2007 Lake Powell Reservoir was about half full. This condition is expected, considering that inflows to the lake have been much less than average (with the exception of 2005) and drought conditions have prevailed since 2000. Inflow in 2002 was the lowest ever recorded since the lake began filling in 1963. It is predicted that the reservoir will rise 50 feet in 2008. Inflow to Lake Powell (percent of average Inflow)* 2000—62% 2001—59% 2002—25% 2003—51% 2004—49% 2005—105% 2006—73% 2007—68%
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