{
  "id": 1546858,
  "title": "Lake Powell hits record low, threatening key water and electricity supply for millions",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/lake-powell-hits-record-low-threatening-key-water-and-electricity",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-17T19:41:46.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Mongabay",
    "slug": "mongabay",
    "url": "https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/08/lake-powell-hits-record-low-threatening-key-water-and-electricity-supply-for-millions/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Lake Powell, the second-largest reservoir in the United States, has reached a record low water level, raising concerns about the severe crisis affecting the Colorado River system. This alarming development occurred on Saturday, just a week after another major reservoir, Lake Mead, also hit a historic low. The plummeting water levels present a significant threat to the Colorado River Basin, which provides crucial resources to wildlife, hydropower, and over 40 million people residing in seven U.S. states. The federal government, along with the seven affected states — California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado — is grappling with the challenge of reaching a consensus on a long-term management plan for the dwindling resource. The Colorado River's depletion is a result of persistent overuse coupled with a record-dry winter and rising temperatures. On Saturday, Lake Powell's elevation plummeted to 3,519.91 feet (1,072.9 meters) above sea level, slightly falling below a previous record set in April 2023, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The lake has dropped more than 20 feet (6.10 meters) from the beginning of the year, as per USBR data. Currently, the reservoir is approximately 30 feet (9.1 meters) away from the point where hydroelectric power production would cease. Federal officials had warned in April that a \"major intervention\" would be necessary to prevent reaching this threshold by the end of the year. In July, the USBR proposed a 10-year plan that includes significant potential water cuts for Arizona, California, and Nevada.",
  "summary": "The water level at Lake Powell, the United States’ second-largest reservoir, has fallen to a record low, heightening concerns about the ongoing crisis in the Colorado River system. The alarming milestone at Lake Powell, reached Saturday, comes about a week after the river’s other major reservoir, Lake Mead, also hit a historic low. Plummeting water levels […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Lake Powell hits record low, threatening key water and electricity supply for millions",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/lake-powell-hits-record-low-threatening-key-water-and-electricity-1354875",
        "published": "2026-08-16T21:18:51.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Associated Press",
        "title": "Lake Powell hits record low, threatening key water and electricity supply for millions",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/lake-powell-hits-record-low-threatening-key-water-and-electricity",
        "published": "2026-08-16T21:23:02.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "PBS NewsHour",
        "title": "Lake Powell hits record low, threatening key water and electricity supply for millions",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/lake-powell-hits-record-low-threatening-key-water-and-electricity-1359155",
        "published": "2026-08-16T21:46:50.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}