Expanding Lake Powell Draws Vacationers, Relief for Colorado Water Users

Last winter’s snowpack has filled Lake Powell to 76% capacity, a level not seen since the last decade, reports the LA Times. The surging water level has brought more recreational users to the lake, and is also raising the level of Lake Mead downstream, a boon for Colorado River water users across the Southwest. However, it remains unclear if the good times will last, or if future drought and declining streamflow will once again lower the reservoir’s level. Future projections by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation suggest Colorado streamflow will decline by 9% in the 21^st century, although there will be occasional spikes in water level like the one observed this year.