Since apparently all the cool kids love data, here’s some of mine. This is total storage in Lake Mead (blue), Lake Powell (reddish) and combined (orangey), updated with the 2011 end-of-year numbers as estimated by the USBR’s latest 24-month study (pdf). Note that if the numbers hold up, this will be the second time since 1998 that Lake Mead has risen over the course of a year. Click to embiggen.
Lake Mead, Powell Storage
When will it be determined that Lake Powell has reached an appropriate level before sharing the water down stream. Are we looking to late fall?
Lin
Linda –
The decision has already been made to release extra water from Lake Powell to Lake Mead. The current operations plan, as of this week, calls for the release of 12.4 million acre feet from Powell, about 4 million above the minimum required.
what is the estimated highest water levelfor Lake Powell this year?
Gordon –
The current estimate calls for Powell to end July at 3,665 feet above sea level at the end of July.
You can find current elevation here:
http://www.usbr.gov/uc/water/rsvrs/ops/crsp_40_gc.html
and the 24-month plan, which has estimated month-end elevations going forward here:
http://www.usbr.gov/lc/region/g4000/24mo.pdf