What is dead pool at Lake Powell?
At approximately 3,370 feet elevation, Lake Powell reaches its dead-storage pool reference. The ability to release water by normal gravity-driven outlets becomes severely limited. Dead pool does not mean the reservoir is physically empty.
What is minimum power pool?
Minimum power pool is about 3,490 feet, a higher threshold associated with Glen Canyon Dam’s hydroelectric operations. Reaching this threshold is not the same as dead pool: water may still be stored in the reservoir even though normal hydropower operations are affected.
How close is Lake Powell to minimum power pool?
The latest water-level reading is 3,520.31 feet NGVD29, approximately 30.31 feet above minimum power pool. Use the observation time and source rather than applying this figure to a future date.
Why we use NGVD29
Lake Powell’s familiar 3,700-ft full-pool and 3,490-ft minimum-power thresholds use the NGVD29 reference. We display all water-surface elevations in the same system so visitors can compare them directly without choosing between vertical datums.
Return to the latest Lake Powell elevation
See the observed water level, changes and source observation time.
Lake Powell water level today →