Lake Powell's water level continues to rise this week to the tune of 6 to 9 inches a day. As of last Friday the lake crossed the less than 100 feet low threshold ~ an exiting event! In another ten days or so we would expect the Lake Powell Castle Rock Cut to be open again and boaters happily heading upstreeam without the 11 mile detour to Glen Canyon Dam.
Currently the rivers that feed Lake Powell are running at 124% of normal. By the time July rolls around the lake should be about 61 feet below full, the highest it has been since 1999. For locals and tourists alike this is a joyous event. Also power production at the dam will be increased about 12% over last year with the higher water levels.
The CUT at Castle Rock being opend means less gas used to get upstream and out of Wahweap Bay. Tourists and tour operators a like are thrilled at this prospect. It is such a problem with the Cut is closed that the National Park Service had proposed a plan to dredge the Cut this spring. The wet winter and cool, wet spring has made that unnecssary.
Overall Lake Powell is expected to increase 50 verticle feet this spring run off year. Good news for the west as Lake Powell is the savings account of water used by the downstream states of Arizona, Nevada, California and the country of Mexico.
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