Lake Powell reached a historic low this year

Lake Powell reached a historic low this year Today’s Video of the Day from the USGS features Lake Powell, an artificial reservoir in the Colorado River on the border of Utah and Arizona.

The lake supplies water to millions across the southwestern United States. According to the USGS, long-term dry conditions put the reservoir at a historic low in 2021. 

In 2017, the water’s elevation was at 3,628 feet, putting it at 60.3 percent of full capacity. By 2021, the water level in Lake Powell was measured at 84 feet, with its capacity down to 29.5 percent. Description and history. Lake Powell is located in James City County, Virginia within three miles of the historic Jamestown site and colonial Williamsburg. The lake was formed by the damming of Mill Creek.

The weather in the Lake Powell area is just about perfect — not too hot, not too cold. While the climate is arid and humidity is generally less than 40 percent, Lake Powell is classified as a “high desert” area due to it’s 3,700 ft. elevation. The current level of Lake Powell is 3,574 feet above sea level. When full the level is 3,700 feet. Because of an above normal snowpack in Colorado this winter, which feeds the lake, the level is expected to reach 3,620 this summer.

Video Credit: USGS

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By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer