Business owners at Lake Powell expecting big year with water levels rising 70 feet

Lower water levels at Lake Powell the past few years have made things challenging for businesses that operate on the lake. However, many business owners who rely on tourism at Lake Powell are expecting what they feel could be one of the best seasons ever.

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is expecting lake levels to increase 70 feet this spring and summer. That’s an astonishing number that is getting a lot of attention. It’s also bringing plenty of hope.

“I was down 62% last year on my bookings from the year before,” said Tom Pryor, a co-owner of Outdoor Adventure Rentals and AZ Marine. “But I think you’re going to see one of the largest travel years in history, and a lot of people are going to be coming here.”

His companies rent boats and do tours on Lake Powell.

Pryor has been intimately involved with the lake since 2008 and loves showing off its magic to people who are visiting.

“I never get tired of the experience. There is something about Lake Powell,” he said. “When you see people who come here and see the lake, whether it is their first time or whatever, they often say it is the best vacation they have ever had.”

70 feet is A LOT of water, especially when that's how high Lake Powell is expected to rise this spring/summer. Businesses there are expecting a record year. We're doing a story on this, as well as an interview with the Bureau of Reclamation, tonight in our @KSL5TV 10:00 newscast. pic.twitter.com/LzpF6MX44F

— Alex Cabrero (@KSL_AlexCabrero) May 10, 2023

As word began to spread about how high Lake Powell is expected to rise, Pryor said he started getting inquiries from people asking about rentals and tours.

“That’s the best news Lake Powell could ever get,” he said. “That is the whole economy of our town.”

Right now, Lake Powell is increasing by about a foot a day because of the massive snowpack further north and spring snow melt runoff.

“That is a lot of water,” said Bob Martin, a deputy power manager for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. “We are anticipating we will hit a peak in July of 70 feet from our lowest point.”

That low point record was set this past winter.

The rising water also means more electricity generation at the Glen Canyon Dam, which holds Lake Powell, and what the dam was built for.

“With the increase of water, our power production also goes up. With the added elevation, we can generate more power,” Martin said. “It is a 40% increase, which is fantastic because all the activities here are funded by power sales.”

Generating more power means the Bureau of Reclamation will be releasing more water at the Glen Canyon Dam.

There are those who wonder if it would make more sense to keep as much water as possible, to allow Lake Powell to fill up as high as possible, instead of releasing the water downstream to other states.

“Lake Powell and Lake Mead, they are all part of a system. And the system for the 20 years or so of drought, has worked as it is designed,” Martin said. “Part of that system is when water comes in from above, we have to consider moving some water downstream. It’s definitely a balancing act.”

The Bureau of Reclamation had planned to release about 7-million-acre feet of water, but with the massive snowpack, the Bureau is now looking to release about 9.5-million-acre feet of water.

“That’s something that wasn’t anticipated,” Martin said.

After the additional release, Lake Powell could still be up 55 feet from the historic low this past winter.

Martin also said it’s going to take at least another 5-6 years of winters like what we just had to get Lake Powell levels back to where everybody is comfortable.

Pryor is one of those people who wishes the Bureau of Reclamation would save as much water as possible, but is still happy with how things are looking for this season with so much extra water.

Lone Rock could have water surrounding it again. The Castle Rock Shortcut could have enough water for boats launching near Page, Arizona, to save more than an hour instead of going around toward Antelope.

For as magical as he feels Lake Powell is, Prior thinks this is going to be one of those years to remember.

“It is a special place,” he said. “It’s not just a diamond in the rough, it’s a diamond of the west.”