Show A Dam Difficult t Issue Draining Lake Powell Lake Powell Susan Spano Los Angeles Times Officially the concrete of Glen Canyon Dam on Lake Powell is good for two millenniums millenniums millenniums millen millen- but sediment buildup could render the dam inoperable ble in years But environmentalists environmentalists environmentalists environ environ- mentalists are less conservative They say silt coming in from the reservoirs reservoir's tributaries could clog it up in a few centuries never mind that the dam has already damaged habitats and geology at the Grand Canyon miles downstream Partly for this reason environmentalists environmentalists environmentalists environ environ- mentalists have advocated decommissioning the dam and draining the reservoir a drastic measure that nevertheless has been carried out in the last few decades at about dams across America For the thirsty dwellers of the dry Southwest the specter of losing a water and energy source may be upsetting The dams dam's See Lake Powell continued on page 4 Lake Powell cont cant from front power plant can produce megawatts of electricity and Lake Powell serves as a holding tank for Lake Mead a big water supplier supplier supplier sup sup- to Southern California Beyond that the reservoir has undeniable recreational value But since the onset of the drought visitation visitation visitation tation to million-acre million Glen Canyon National Recreation Area has decreased from 26 million in 1999 to 18 million in 2004 Meanwhile the National Park Service which manages the recreation recreation recreation area is extolling the virtues of newly reclaimed sights while busily busily busily busi busi- ly extending boat launch ramps at northerly marinas such as Bullfrog Visitors can still enjoy and participate participate participate par par- in the same activities that they did when the lake was full boating fishing hiking camping M c o co c. c J c x coC co y t Jt CJ J C CJ J c o o 0 r c c. c C Q E EC EF F C Q C c C Co o Hikers pick their way through Davis Gulch an Escalante River tributary at Lake Powell A year six-year drought has dropped Lake Powells Powell's water level revealing a once-hidden once world and exploring says Kitty L. L Roberts recreation area dent But it all depends on the weather In February the water level stood at feet just 71 feet above the lowest t point at which the dam can u n. n u r generate electricity If it drops below that were we're out of business until the lake comes back up said Tom Ryan a hydrologist for the US U.S. Bureau of Reclamation which built and operates the dam Despite heavy winter snowfall in southwest Utah Ryan said it looked like an average year for runoff which routinely plumps the level of Lake Powell in July He expects the reservoir to rise about 40 to 45 feet by then though at that rate it still would take years for the lake to refill And if we have a hot dry spring that estimate will be eroded Theres There's still a lot of uncertainty he said |