A Brief History of Lake Powell
The Colorado River flows beneath Lake Powell, a reservoir created by the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam, completed on September 13, 1963.
The town of Page, Arizona did not exist before construction began in 1956.
Lake Powell took 17 years to fill and reach full pool elevation at 3,700 feet. At Full Pool, the reservoir stretched 186 miles long and had over 1,960 miles of shoreline—that’s about the length of the entire west coast!
Lake Powell gained protected status in 1972 when it was designated Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, which includes 1.2 million acres of land and water on the Colorado Plateau.
Photo: Powell Museum Archives
Lake Powell’s Shifting Lake Levels
Fluctuations are a natural part of a reservoir’s life. The Glen Canyon dam releases water downstream, and snow from the Colorado and Wyoming mountains melt each spring to fill Lake Powell.
But Lake Powell has been experiencing low water for nearly two decades now due to a megadrought and overallocation of the river water.
As of February 2025, Lake Powell is 24% of Full Pool according to Lake Powell’s Water Database, where you can to go to find the latest updates.
Low lake levels pose a threat to recreation access as well as the Glen Canyon Dam’s ability to produce hydropower and release water downstream.
Only 3 boat ramps remain open and accessible for motor boats to launch. Piute Farms Marina, Hite Marina, and Dangling Rope Marina have all permanently closed due to chronically low water.
A low lake stirs up a lot of emotion and controversy over how to manage the Glen Canyon Dam and the Colorado River. Lake Powell has become a political battleground as the seven states who depend on the water (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, California, and Nevada) argue over water rights, use and allocation.
Who We Are
We are boaters, paddlers, hikers, avid readers, and outdoor educators who have fallen in love with this landscape.
We enjoy motor boat camping trips on Lake Powell- the access to slickrock and quiet canyons is unbeatable and the mirrored images of stone on water are breathtaking.
We also love rivers. We have rowed the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon and paddled the San Juan River, a tributary of the Colorado River.
We understand the ecological toll that dams take on rivers, as well as the importance of water storage for human civilization.
What We Do
We recreate, observe, take photos and videos to document changes, and match historic photos of the region to understand our current situation better.
We facilitate access to Glen Canyon and Lake Powell through hiking and vehicle tours to observe, experience, and generate discussion on the political, emotional, and educational landscape of Glen Canyon.
What We Believe
We believe there is beauty and adventure at every lake level.
Though we wish we could have seen Glen Canyon and the Colorado before the dam, we’re also curious what the river returning would look like if the dam was removed.
Though we wish we could have seen Lake Powell at Full Pool, we’re curious what form the reservoir will take as the water levels continue to change. We wonder if Lake Powell will ever be full again.
We are committed to facilitating exploration of this beautiful region through all the changes.
Lone Rock
