Which lake is higher?
Lake Powell sits upstream of Lake Mead in the Colorado River system. Raw elevation numbers are not a useful comparison of how full the two reservoirs are, because their basins, elevations and storage curves differ.
Compare storage, not just surface elevation
For a meaningful comparison, use each reservoir’s official storage volume in acre-feet or its percentage of live capacity, with matching observation dates. Inflow, releases and operating rules may cause the lakes to move in different directions.
Official sources
For an accurate comparison, use figures from the same date and check whether each lake is reporting stored water or water-surface height.
Return to the latest Lake Powell elevation
See the observed water level, changes and source observation time.
Lake Powell water level today →