Lake Powell reached a new record low water elevation, according to water data tracking. This mark edges past the prior record of 3,519.92 feet set in April 2023.

The reservoir, the second-largest in the United States, now sits at roughly 22.5 percent of capacity. Full pool stands at 3,700 feet. The latest decline continues a multi-year trend driven by low inflows and high demand across the Colorado River Basin.

Projections from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation earlier this year warned that levels could drop below the 3,490-foot minimum power pool by August without intervention. Federal officials have responded by releasing additional water from upstream reservoirs such as Flaming Gorge and limiting releases from Glen Canyon Dam to the legal minimum of 6.0 million acre-feet for the water year.

Combined storage in Lake Powell and Lake Mead has also fallen to historic lows not seen since before Lake Powell's creation in the 1960s. Lake Mead recently set its own record low in early August.

The low levels threaten hydropower generation at Glen Canyon Dam once the reservoir falls below 3,490 feet. At that point, releases would shift to river outlet works, reducing power output and creating operational challenges for downstream users.

Basin states continue to face pressure to conserve water as the system holds about 36 percent of capacity overall. The Bureau of Reclamation's actions aim to stabilize the reservoir through the remainder of the water year.