Lake Powell Within 30 Feet of Hydropower Cutoff, Mongabay Reports
Lake Powell sits roughly 30 feet above the elevation at which its turbines would stop generating hydroelectric power, according to Mongabay.
The reservoir has dropped more than 20 feet from where it stood at the start of the year, based on U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) data cited by Mongabay.
Federal officials warned in April that a "major intervention" would be needed to keep the reservoir above that generation threshold by the end of the year, Mongabay reported.
The stakes extend well beyond the powerhouse. The Colorado River Basin supplies wildlife habitat, hydropower and more than 40 million people across seven U.S. states, according to Mongabay.
USBR responded in July with a proposed 10-year plan carrying major potential water cuts for Arizona, California and Nevada, Mongabay reported.
Source: news.mongabay.com (opens in a new tab)1 sourcePermalink