 | By Abby RussoCommunications Intern |
The first time I saw Lake Powell, I thought it had to be fake. There was no way the water could actually be that blue. Lake Powell is a man made reservoir in the desert between Utah and Arizona and it seems to rise out of nowhere. While the water really is naturally that blue—and the lake really does exist---it has only been around since 1963 when the Glen Canyon Dam was built, forming the lake and the controversies surrounding it.
The construction of Lake Powell began when a the creation of dam in the southwest was proposed to create hydropower, and in order to preserve the Dinosaur National Monument, the project was moved to the lesser known Glen Canyon. The dam was also constructed in part to ensure surrounding states would receive the correct allotments of water. The Colorado Compact, signed in 1922, ensured that seven states had the rights to water from the Colorado River and after the construction of Lake Powell, the water was in place. Since then, it has become a center of tourism that millions of people visit each year for fishing, swimming, boating and general exploring.
Lake Powell is so massive that after the Glen Canyon Dam was completed, it took 17 years for the lake to fill to its high water mark. As it filled, the lake submerged the riverine ecosystems of the Colorado River and archeological sites in the area. The dam also changed ecosystems because it trapped sediment, leading to the erosion of beaches in the lake. While the river was formerly warm and shallow, it became deep and cool as Lake Powell, threatening the native fish species that thrived in the river, and around the former beaches. Invasive species brought into the lake for fishing now have the advantage in colder, deeper water. Current environmental researchers are trying to figure out ways to protect native species and restore the lost beaches, in addition to a more recently developed issue with the lake’s capacity.
Because of the severe drought since 2000, the Southwest has entered into water crisis mode. Lake Powell has dropped 100 feet lower than its peak level of 3700 feet above sea level in the past two decades. This drop is due in part to the drought, but it is also due to evaporation that occurs in hotter climates. The geology of the canyon is fairly porous as well, leading to water loss in the lake and rendering some of the water unusable. The problem the lake faces now is that it is characteristic of a structural deficit – less water goes in than what cities, tribes, and farmers have the rights to.
One proposal to combat this deficit called “Fill Mead First” argues that it would be more efficient to have one full reservoir instead of two only half full. The proposal calls for Lake Powell to be drained into the neighboring Lake Mead. Proponents of draining the reservoirs believe that the drying climate won’t keep both reservoirs full, and draining Lake Powell would restore the free flowing Colorado River, allowing for greater conservation of its natural ecosystems. On the other hand, critics of the proposal think that water might not be saved in large quantities, making the risk of losing one reservoir too great. There is also uncertainty about evaporation in both locations, and the effects of draining the lake on sediment flow and fish.
Although beautiful and almost unbelievable, Lake Powell and its construction raises concrete questions about interference with nature without understanding the consequences. While it may have served its purposes as a water supply and source of hydropower, it now faces an uncertain future as the water level dips. Whatever its fate may be, it has certainly been complicated yet fantastic up until now like so many other parts of the American landscape.