Feds to release Flaming Gorge water to support Lake Powell, as new hazards emerge

Key Points:

• The Bureau of Reclamation plans to release between 660,000 and 1 million acre-feet of water from Flaming Gorge Reservoir to support low levels at Lake Powell, with releases starting this month and continuing through April 2027.
• Annual releases from Lake Powell to Lake Mead will be reduced by 1.48 million acre-feet through September to conserve water downstream amid ongoing drought conditions affecting the Colorado River Basin.
• Lake Powell is currently less than 25% full and at risk of dropping below levels needed for hydropower generation; federal officials estimate the planned water releases will raise the reservoir's elevation by 54 feet over the next year.
• No water releases are planned from Colorado's Blue Mesa or New Mexico's Navajo reservoirs due to poor inflow forecasts, and states have yet to agree on a new water management plan as current agreements expire later this year.
• Lower water levels at Lake Powell have exposed new navigational hazards for boaters, prompting park officials to deploy teams to mark obstacles and urging caution due to shifting channels, newly exposed shorelines, and changing no-wake zones.