the last time lake powell was full was on october 7, 2006.
the last time lake powell was full was on october 7, 2006.
when was the last time lake powell was full?
october 7, 2006
upon completion of glen canyon dam on september 13, 1963, the colorado river began to back up, no longer being diverted through the tunnels. the newly flooded glen canyon formed lake powell. eleven years elapsed before the lake filled to the level, on june 22, 1980. the lake level fluctuates considerably depending on the seasonal snow runoff from the rocky mountains. the all-time highest water level was reached on july 14, 1983, during one of the heaviest colorado river floods in recorded history, in part influenced by a strong el niño event. the lake rose to above sea level, with a water content of .
lake powell
with a capacity equal to almost two years' annual flow of the colorado river, engineers were aware that lake powell would be difficult to fill, but more problems were encountered than expected. the original plan was to fill lake powell to above sea level, the minimum level necessary to generate hydroelectric power by late 1964, after which water would be released down to lake mead, with only the excess stored in lake powell. however, the spring runoff in 1963 was the lowest on record in ten years. by the beginning of 1964, lake powell had barely reached half the target level, and lake mead had seen a sharp decline. in march, secretary of the interior stewart udall ordered the filling halted and extra releases made to lake mead, to the consternation of the upper basin states. in may, udall changed his mind yet again to lower releases, gambling that the spring runoff would be enough to raise powell to minimum power pool by autumn, by which time power releases could begin, to prevent lake mead from falling below "its" minimum power pool. that gamble paid off, with lake powell barely inching over the mark on august 16, 1964.
glen canyon dam