Lake Powell Is in Big Trouble

One of the U.S. West's most important water is about to hit a new low.

Lake Powell is located on the border of Utah and Arizona and is part of a system that supplies water for 40 million people in multiple states. The lake stood at around 25% of its total capacity as of Tuesday, according to readings provided by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The threshold of water outlined in the contingency plans would cause additional releases from upstream water sources. The lake has been hitting new lows since it reached its previous lowest level on record, 3,555.09 feet. The Colorado River and Lake Powell can be seen from space in an image captured by the European Union.

The Bureau said that this particular low won't be permanent and that the spring will help juice the lake back up. It's so low in the first place that it's worrisome. The cutoff level for Glen Canyon Dam can provide electricity to 5.8 million homes and businesses in the Western states. The cutoff was designed to provide a buffer in order to keep the electricity flowing.

We are in some uncharted territory, socially and economically, according to Justin Mankin, who helps lead the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Drought Task Force.

It is disturbing that Lake Powell is so low, given how dry the West was last year. The first wave of water cuts for farmers and businesses was triggered by the first ever water shortage on the Colorado River. Both Lake Powell and Lake Mead, the two largest lakes in the country and crucial for the functioning of the water system along the Colorado River, hit record lows.