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U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to Move Up to 1 Million Acre-Feet from Flaming Gorge to Stabilize Lake Powell Levels
Federal officials announced plans in April 2026 to draw down Flaming Gorge Reservoir and cut releases from Lake Powell to Lake Mead in an effort to raise Powell's levels by 54 feet by 2027. The emergency action comes as prolonged drought has reduced Colorado River system storage to 36 percent capacity.
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U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced plans in April 2026 to release water from Flaming Gorge Reservoir and reduce downstream releases from Lake Powell to Lake Mead. The agency will release between 660,000 acre-feet and 1 million acre-feet from Flaming Gorge through April 2027.
48 million acre-feet total. The moves are intended to raise Lake Powell's levels by about 54 feet by 2027. Prolonged drought had reduced Colorado River system storage to about 36 percent capacity as of last month relative to the April 2026 announcement.
Extreme March heat and record-low snowpack worsened Colorado River conditions in 2026. Without intervention, Lake Powell could fall below the minimum power pool level of 3,490 feet by August 2026. Cutting releases from Lake Powell will speed up the drop in Lake Mead’s levels.
The reduction could reduce Hoover Dam’s power-generating capacity by as much as 40 percent as soon as fall 2026. Flaming Gorge Reservoir is located mainly in southwestern Wyoming and partly in northeastern Utah. It is formed by a thin-arch dam on the Green River.
The Colorado River stretches about 1,450 miles, irrigates more than 5 million acres of farmland and supplies water to 40 million people across the West. The river serves seven basin states: Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico in the Upper Basin; Arizona, California, and Nevada in the Lower Basin, as well as Mexico.
The seven basin states have been negotiating new water-sharing agreements to replace those set to expire in 2026.
No consensus has been reached on the new water-sharing agreements as of May 2026. Brandon Gebhart, the Wyoming Water Commissioner, stated that the move could close three of five boat ramps at Flaming Gorge Reservoir. will have significant negative impacts on our water resources, local economies and recreation both this year and for years to come.
