The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation released a 24 month study projection on April 20, which include “an increase to downstream flows from Lake Powell to Lake Mead of up to 9.5 million acre-feet this water year (Oct. 1, 2022 through Sept. 30, 2023),” according to the Bureau of Reclamation website.
“This winter’s snowpack is promising and provides us the opportunity to help replenish Lakes Mead and Powell in the near-term — but the reality is that drought conditions in the Colorado River Basin have been more than two decades in the making,” said U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Director Camille Touton. “Despite this year’s welcomed snow, the Colorado River system remains at risk from the ongoing impacts of the climate crisis. We will continue to pursue a collaborative, consensus-based approach to conserve water, increase the efficiency of water use, and protect the system’s reservoirs from falling to critically low elevations that would threaten water deliveries and power production.”
According to a release on the site, based on the 24 month study Lake Mead’s elevation is projected to improve in 2023. It is projected to have an elevation of 1,068.05 feet by the end of the year, which is 33 feet higher than the March 24 month study. A mid-year review of Lake Mead operations is not expected in 2023. There are improved hydrology and projected forecasts provided as an opportunity to recover upstream reservoir storage and use the runoff to take positive action in the Grand Canyon. The Colorado River system is still at risk, however, with Lake Powell and Lake Mead at a combined storage rate of 26%.
The release stated that reclamation will be conducting a 72-hour high flow release from Glen Canyon Dam later in April, due to the high water releases this month. This will be a release of water from Glen Canyon Dam of up to 39,5000 cubic feet per second during its peak, in an effort to move sediment in the river channel and redeposit it to beaches. This will help Grand Canyon National Park as far as stopping invasive species in the Colorado River.
