Lake Powell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lake Powell
Lake Powell Location in Arizona Show map of Arizona Lake Powell Location in Utah Show map of Utah Lake Powell Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Utah and Arizona, United States
Coordinates	36°56′10″N 111°29′03″W / 36.93611°N 111.48417°W / 36.93611; -111.48417 (Glen Canyon Dam)
Type	Reservoir
Primary inflows	Colorado River Escalante River San Juan River Green River (Colorado River tributary)
Primary outflows	Colorado River
Catchment area	280,586 km2 (108,335 sq mi)
Basin countries	United States
Managing agency	National Park Service
Built	September 13, 1963 (1963-09-13)
Max. length	186 mi (299 km)
Max. width	25 mi (40 km) (maximum)
Surface area	161,390 acres (65,310 ha)
Average depth	132 ft (40 m)
Max. depth	583 ft (178 m)
Water volume	Full: 24,322,000 acre⋅ft (30.001 km3) Current (July 10, 2024): 9,878,852 acre⋅ft (12.185385 km3)
Residence time	7.2 years
Shore length1	3,057 km (1,900 mi)
Surface elevation	Full: 3,700 ft (1,128 m) Current (May 29, 2023): 3,569.07 ft (1,088 m)
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Lake Powell is a huge lake created by people, also called a reservoir. It's located on the Colorado River in the states of Utah and Arizona in the United States. Many people visit Lake Powell every year for vacations, with about two million visitors annually.

When it's completely full, Lake Powell can hold a massive amount of water. It is the second-largest reservoir in the United States by water volume, after Lake Mead. However, sometimes Lake Mead has less water than Lake Powell.

Lake Powell was formed when the Glen Canyon Dam was built. This dam flooded a beautiful area called Glen Canyon. Because of the lake and dam, the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area was created in 1972. This area is managed by the National Park Service and is a popular spot, especially in summer. The lake is named after John Wesley Powell, a Civil War veteran who explored the Colorado River in 1869. Most of Lake Powell is in southern Utah, with a smaller part in northern Arizona.

Lake Powell is very important for storing water for several states. These states are Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico. They need to provide a certain amount of water each year to other states like Arizona, Nevada, and California.

Over time, sediment (like sand and mud) from the Colorado and San Juan rivers flows into Lake Powell. This sediment settles at the bottom. This means the lake can hold a little less water each year. Some environmental groups believe Lake Powell should be drained. They want to return Glen Canyon to its natural, free-flowing river state.

Building Lake Powell

How the Idea Started

In the 1940s and early 1950s, the United States government planned to build many dams on the Colorado River. These dams would be in the rugged areas of Colorado, Utah, and Arizona. The idea for Glen Canyon Dam came from a plan to build a dam in Dinosaur National Monument.

However, a group of people, led by David Brower from the Sierra Club, strongly disagreed. They argued that the natural beauty of that area was too important to be covered by water. Their efforts succeeded, and the dam was not built there. Instead, the Glen Canyon Dam was planned for a different location. It was built to help states in the upper part of the Colorado River basin meet their water agreements with states downstream. Lake Powell acts like a "water bank" to make sure enough water is available.

Dam Construction

Glen Canyon Dam in Page, Arizona

The construction of Glen Canyon Dam began on October 1, 1956. President Dwight D. Eisenhower pressed a button from his office to start the first demolition blast. This blast helped clear tunnels for the river's water to be moved around the dam site.

On February 11, 1959, water started flowing through these new tunnels. This allowed the actual dam construction to begin. Later that year, a bridge was finished. This bridge helped trucks bring in all the heavy equipment and materials needed for the dam. It also helped build the new town of Page, Arizona.

Workers started pouring concrete around the clock on June 17, 1960. They poured over 5 million cubic yards of concrete! The very last bucket of concrete was poured on September 13, 1963. The dam stands 710 feet (216 meters) tall. When the lake is full, the water surface is about 3700 feet (1100 meters) above sea level. The dam cost $155 million to build, and sadly, 18 lives were lost during its construction.

On September 22, 1966, the Glen Canyon Dam was officially opened by Lady Bird Johnson. From 1970 to 1980, large machines called turbines and generators were installed. These machines use the power of the water to create hydroelectricity (electricity from water).

Filling the Lake

After Glen Canyon Dam was finished on September 13, 1963, the Colorado River began to back up. The water started to fill the newly formed lake, which became Lake Powell. It took 16 years for the lake to fill up to its full level. This happened on June 22, 1980.

The amount of water in Lake Powell changes a lot. It depends on how much snow melts from the Rocky Mountains each spring. The highest water level ever recorded was on July 14, 1983. This was during a very big flood on the Colorado River, partly because of a strong El Niño event. At that time, the lake rose to 3708.34 feet (1130 meters) above sea level.

Lake Powell is mostly in Garfield, Kane, and San Juan counties in southern Utah. A small part is in Coconino County in northern Arizona. The northern end of the lake reaches at least as far as the Hite Crossing Bridge.

Drought and Water Levels

Chart showing how much water was in Lake Powell from 1963 to 2023.

Since the year 2000, the Colorado River has had less water than usual. This is because of a long period of dry weather called a megadrought. This has caused the lake levels to drop. In 2005, the lake reached its lowest level since it was filled. It was about 150 feet (46 meters) below its full level.

After 2005, the lake level slowly went up again, but it hasn't completely filled since then. In 2011, there was a good amount of runoff from melting snow. The water level peaked at almost 3661 feet (1116 meters), which was 77 percent of its full capacity. However, the years 2012 and 2013 had very low runoff. By April 2014, the lake level had dropped again.

In 2014, the amount of water released from Lake Powell was reduced. This was done to keep similar amounts of water in both Lake Powell and Lake Mead. This helps make sure both lakes can still produce hydroelectric power. This decision caused Lake Mead to drop to its lowest level in many decades.

The water level continued to decline. In July 2021, water had to be released from another reservoir, the Flaming Gorge Reservoir, to help Lake Powell. By April 2022, Lake Powell was at a very low level, the lowest since it was first filled in 1963.

As mentioned earlier, the amount of water Lake Powell can hold has decreased by 7% since 1963. This is due to sediments flowing in from the Colorado and San Juan rivers. These sediments reduce the lake's storage space. Some studies suggest that storing water in Lake Mead instead of Lake Powell could save a lot of water each year. This has led to more calls from environmentalists to drain Lake Powell and let Glen Canyon return to its natural state.

Climate Around Lake Powell

The weather around Lake Powell, specifically near Wahweap, Arizona, is shown in the table below. This data covers the years from 1961 to 2012.

Geology of Glen Canyon

Glen Canyon was carved out by the Colorado River over about 5 million years. This happened because of how different types of rock wore away at different speeds. The Colorado Plateau, where the canyon is, rose up about 11 million years ago.

Inside this plateau, you can see layers of rock that are over 300 million years old. Some of the oldest rocks are from the Pennsylvanian and Permian periods. You can see these in Cataract Canyon and San Juan Canyon.

Other rock layers, like the Moenkopi Formation and Chinle Formation, are found at Lees Ferry. These rocks formed about 230 million years ago when an ancient inland sea covered the area. After the sea dried up, wind blew sand into the area, forming what is now called Wingate Sandstone.

Newer rock formations, from the Jurassic Period, include Kayenta Sandstone. This sandstone creates the blue-black streaks you see on many canyon walls. Above this is Navajo Sandstone. Many natural arches, like Rainbow Bridge, are found where these two types of sandstone meet.

This period also includes light yellow Entrada Sandstone and dark brown Carmel Formation. You can see these on top of flat-topped mountains (mesas) around Wahweap. They also form the tops of famous landmarks like Castle Rock and Tower Butte.

The Escalante, Dirty Devil, and San Juan rivers all flow into the Colorado River within Lake Powell. The San Juan River flows slowly and has created interesting "goosenecks." This means 5 miles (8 km) of river are squeezed into just 1 mile (1.6 km) in a straight line.

Cool Places to See

Map of Lake Powell and its features.

The main part of Lake Powell stretches up Glen Canyon. But it also fills many (over 90!) side canyons. The lake also extends up the Escalante River and San Juan River where they meet the main Colorado River. This allows visitors to reach many natural landmarks and even some old ruins from the Anasazi culture.

Here are some important places and features:

• Glen Canyon Dam: This is the huge dam that blocks the Colorado River and created Lake Powell. It's in Arizona.
• Rainbow Bridge: One of the largest natural bridges in the world, located in Utah.
• Hite Crossing Bridge: This is the only bridge that crosses Lake Powell. Even though it's far north, the lake's water can stretch up to 30 miles (48 km) past it when the lake is full.
• Defiance House ruin: An ancient ruin from the Anasazi people.
• Castle Rock
• Cathedral in the Desert
• San Juan goosenecks: These are the tight bends in the San Juan River.
• Gregory Butte
• Gunsight Butte
• Lone Rock
• Alstrom Point
• Kaiparowits Plateau
• Hole-in-the-Rock crossing
• The Rincon
• Three-Roof Ruin
• Padre Bay
• Waterpocket Fold
• Antelope Island: This island is mostly in Arizona, near Page, in the southwest part of Lake Powell.

Visiting Lake Powell

Recreational boating and waterskiing at Lake Powell, near Page, Arizona. Castle Rock is on the far right.

It's tricky to get to the lake because steep sandstone walls surround most of it. You can only reach the lake at special places called marinas.

Here are the main marinas where you can access the lake:

• Lee's Ferry
• Page and Wahweap Marina
• Antelope Point Marina
• Halls Crossing, Utah Marina
• Bullfrog Marina
• Hite Marina

Some marinas can only be reached by boat:

• Dangling Rope Marina
• Rainbow Bridge National Monument
• Escalante Subdistrict

Over two million people visit Glen Canyon National Recreation Area each year. Popular activities include boating, fishing, waterskiing, jet-skiing, and hiking. There are campgrounds at each marina. Many visitors also like to rent a houseboat or bring their own camping gear. They find a quiet spot in the canyons and set up their own camp. There are no rules about where visitors can camp.

The Castle Rock Cut is a very important channel for boats on the lake. It was created by blasting rock in the 1970s. This cut allows boaters to avoid winding canyons between the Glen Canyon Dam and other parts of Lake Powell. It saves about an hour of travel time. The cut has been made deeper several times so boats can use it even when the water level is low.

During the long drought in the 21st century, the lake has dropped quickly. This has caused the cut to dry up during the summer tourist season, most recently in 2013. Making the Castle Rock Cut deeper has been expensive. However, boaters and the National Park Service say it makes boating safer. It also saves millions of dollars in fuel and helps emergency services respond faster. In September 2021, the lake level was 45 feet (14 meters) below the bottom of the Castle Rock Cut.

Currently, most marinas on the lake don't have special systems that show boat positions on websites. Many boats on the lake also don't have these systems. So, it's important to be extra careful when boating. The lake has many twists and turns, so it's easy for boats without good maps to get lost.

It is against the rules to bury human or pet waste in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. If you camp more than a quarter-mile from a marina, you must bring a portable toilet. Pet waste must also be carried out.

You can get to the southwestern end of Lake Powell in Arizona using U.S. Route 89 and State Route 98. To reach the northeastern end of the lake in Utah, you can use State Route 95 and State Route 276.

Fish Species

Lake Powell is home to many kinds of fish. Some of the native fish species in the Colorado River Basin are currently being protected and helped to recover.

Here are some of the fish you might find:

• Bass
  • Smallmouth bass
  • Largemouth bass
  • Striped bass
• Other Fish
  • Crappie
  • Sunfish
  • Channel catfish
  • Northern pike
  • Walleye
  • Common carp
  • Razorback sucker
  • Brown trout
  • Bonytail chub
  • Gizzard shad

Invasive Species

Zebra and quagga mussels are tiny shellfish that first appeared in the United States in the 1980s. They were brought to the U.S. in the water carried by ships in the Great Lakes. These mussels then spread to many other bodies of water, even reaching the western United States. By 2008, zebra mussels were found in several reservoirs along the Colorado River system, including Lakes Mead, Mojave, and Havasu.

By the early 2000s, states like Arizona, California, and Utah had confirmed the presence of young zebra mussels in their lakes.

Zebra and quagga mussels can cause a lot of harm to an ecosystem. They compete with native species for food. They also filter out tiny organisms called zooplankton, which some fish need to eat. These mussels can attach to hard surfaces and build up in layers on underwater structures. They are known to clog pipes, including those used in hydroelectric power systems. This becomes a very expensive problem for water managers.

New rules have been put in place to help control these mussels. In 1999, Lake Powell started watching for mussels. In 2001, special boat cleaning stations were set up at marinas. These stations use hot water to clean boats. In 2007, zebra mussels were found in Lake Mead. New plans were made to stop them from spreading to Lake Powell.

In August 2010, Lake Powell was declared free of mussels. In June 2009, Lake Powell started requiring all boats entering the lake to be inspected for mussels. Boat owners could even check their own boats. These rules were meant to stop mussels from being carried into Lake Powell by boats.

However, in 2012, DNA from quagga mussels was found. Then, in 2013, live quagga mussels were found at several places, including the Wahweap Marina. In June 2013, the National Park Service tried a program where divers would find and remove mussels. They hoped to stop the lake from becoming completely infested.

Pipeline Proposal

There is a proposal to build a pipeline called the Lake Powell Pipeline. This pipeline would take water from Lake Powell. It could take a lot of water each year to provide drinking water to communities in Washington County.

Images for kids

• Lake Powell
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  Lake Powell Dam and bridge

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  Lake Powell in 2007

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  Lake Powell, looking southwest at sunrise

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  Lake Powell in Arizona. The dam is under the arch bridge (upper right end of the water)

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  Aerial view of Tower Butte Arizona

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  Rainbow Bridge

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  Lake Powell and Grand Staircase–Escalante from space, 2016

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  Lake Powell from space, 2016

Template:Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Lago Powell para niños