Boaters Warned As Lake Powell Drops Nearly 30 Feet

Lake Powell is seeing some dramatic water level drops -- and it could impact boaters. 

Officials at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area say water levels are now nearly 30 feet lower than this time last year. In fact, 2025 has seen lower lake levels all summer compared to the past two years. 

The lake’s peak this year came back in January — and while there was a slight rise in June, levels have continued to fall through July. Boaters are urged to check ramp conditions before heading out. 

Here are some of the numbers:

• "Full" level of Lake Powell is 3,639.3 feet above elevation.
• The lowest the lake has ever been since the first couple of years it was filling up in the late 1960s was in 2004, when the water level was at 3,578 feet, roughly 60 feet below "full"
• The highest Lake Powell has ever been was in 1983, when it was measured at 3,693 feet, about 54 feet above "full" level
• The lake has not been "full" or above that level since 2001, when it was 3.665 feet.
• Last July (2024), the water level at Powell was at 3,585 feet, around 54 feet below "full."
• In the last 12 months, Lake Powell has gone down significantly. As of yesterday, the water level was at 3,556.2, about 83 feet below "full" and nearly 30 feet below last year
• That's the lowest the lake has been it was filled in the 1960s.

. What to do about is still in question, but why it's happening is no secret.

The Western United States is experiencing a generational drought.

According to the New York Times, "Relief might still be decades away."

The drought seems to be a "the result of a pattern of Pacific Ocean temperatures that is 'stuck' because of global warming," said Victoria Todd, a doctoral student in paleoclimatology at the University of Texas at Austin who led the new research.

So while the Southwest is experiencing unparalleled growth, the water is drying up in record fashion.

That's a recipe for disaster.

Get our free mobile app