Lake Powell, the country’s second-largest reservoir, is drying up.
Highlights
- Glen Canyon Dam has lost about 16 percent of its capacity to generate power over the past several years.
- In a worst-case scenario, the Interior Department projects the dam could stop producing power by January.
- The agency is now weighing an emergency action that would buy the dam more time.
- Loss of power at the dam would also mean higher energy costs for customers as the price of fossil fuels skyrockets.
- The situation is critical: If water levels at the lake were to drop another 32 feet, all hydroelectricity production would be halted at the reservoir’s Glen Canyon dam.
- The Interior Department is expected to make a final decision on how to handle the situation early May.