Lake Powell is lower than last July. This boat ramp may be only the first to close.​on July 25, 2025 at 7:12 pm

Boaters hoping to enjoy Lake Powell this summer may soon have to adjust their plans.

​Here’s how much lower water levels are now — and the impact that may have on people hoping to enjoy summer at Lake Powell.  

Boaters hoping to enjoy Lake Powell this summer may soon have to adjust their plans.

Water levels at the reservoir are 29 feet lower than this time last year, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area said in a news release.

“Lake level changes will influence the functionality of all launch ramps,” the release said. Halls Crossing Launch Ramp may be inoperable as soon as early August.

Much of the Southwest, including the entire state of Utah, is currently experiencing drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Lake Powell is one of the primary storage reservoirs for the Colorado River, which supplies water to over 40 million people across the southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico. The Colorado River is currently in a “near-crisis” situation, reaching dangerously low water levels similar to what the region saw in 2021 and 2022, the Upper Colorado River Commission said in a statement last month.

The Bureau of Reclamation’s latest two-year projections for Lake Powell show a crisis may be imminent. The probable minimum scenario, which reflects possible particularly dry conditions, projects the reservoir may reach power pool — 3,490 feet — as soon as December 2026.

If the lake drops below that level, water can’t flow through the dam to spin turbines that generate enough electricity to keep the lights on for roughly 450,000 homes each year.

In the near future, the park service said in the Wednesday release, it will continue to adapt the management of infrastructure at Lake Powell, including floating docks, walkways and ramp extensions, to support continued recreation at the lake as water levels drop this year.

The park service encourages boaters with upcoming trips to the reservoir to check the status of launch sites and know the minimum water depth needed to launch their vessel.

The seven Colorado River Basin states, including Utah, are currently negotiating how to manage the diminishing water supply after the current agreement ends in 2026.

“The only way we’re going to achieve a successful outcome is if we’re willing to work together — and not just protect our own interests,” Commissioner Gene Shawcroft, Colorado River Commissioner of Utah, said in a statement last month.