LAKE POWEL water level update 1 november 2025

Here's where things stand as of October 31st 2025, the very first month of our new water year. Lake Powell's elevation is 3,045.53 feet, up slightly from last week, and the lake now holds more than 2.2 trillion gallons of water. We're about 28% full, which may sound low, but here's the encouraging news. For the moment, inflows are outpacing releases. That means the lake is gaining, not losing. We're only 8% into the 2026 water year, and already nature is showing both challenge and promise. Snowpack sits at 39.78% of average, which is on the low side, but precipitation across the Colorado basin is an impressive 149% of normal, a sign that storms are active and moisture is moving in early. That combination, rain early, snow later, could set the stage for a healthy winter if colder weather locks in through November and December. Since October began, Lake Powell has received about 540,000 acre-feet of inflow, almost exactly on track with what we'd expect this time of year. Meanwhile, outflows through Glen Canyon Dam remain modest at 465,000 acre-feet, part of the Bureau of Reclamation's careful strategy to keep the lake stable. So far, it's working. The lake has risen by more than 50,000 acre-feet in just the first month of the water year, a gentle but meaningful lift. Lake Powell is currently 154 feet below full pool, but it's still 45 feet above the minimum power level, the point where hydropower becomes unreliable. That's good news for millions across the southwest who rely on the dam's clean electricity. Every extra foot of water helps keep power flowing, recreation thriving, and local economies strong, from Page, Arizona to the Navajo Nation and beyond. Forecast models suggest that, if conditions hold, Lake Powell will finish the water year near 3,538 feet, still in a safe zone for power generation and operations. And while that's a cautious projection, it reflects stability, something we haven't been able to say often over the past few years. We know the challenges, hotter summers, weaker snowpack, and changing runoff patterns, but there's a quiet resilience in this river system. Communities are conserving, states are cooperating, and the people who depend on this water, from farmers to families, are adapting faster than ever before. Progress doesn't always come as a flood. Sometimes, it's a few extra inches of water, a steadier power line, a policy that works quietly in the background. So tonight, as the sun sets over Glen Canyon, we can take comfort in knowing this. Lake Powell is steady. The Colorado River is still flowing, and together, through conservation, awareness, and respect for the land, we're giving this great reservoir a fighting chance. Let's keep it that way.