March 23, 2023 — Colorado’s Aspen Journalism reports that Lake Powell’s elevation has gained six inches since last week, thanks to above-average snow and precipitation this winter.

Storage capacity at the nation’s second-largest reservoir is offset by sedimentation, accounting for the Bureau of Reclamation’s calculation of a 4% reduction in storage capacity.  Aspen reports that “on March 19, the reservoir was 21.86% full (with a total capacity based on a 1986 sedimentation survey) or 22.8% full (based on updated 2017-18 sedimentation data). ”

The impact of the recent exceptionally rainy and snowy winter on the lake and the broader Colorado River remains uncertain. Nonetheless, it is anticipated that there will be a beneficial outcome, given that almost all states in both the upper and lower river basins are experiencing moisture levels exceeding 100% of the average.

Nevada’s 8 News Now warns that although there is good news for now, it is unlikely that there will be an appreciable difference in water supply at Lake Mead, the largest reservoir on the system and site of Hoover Dam.  The news site notes that “one good year will not save us from climate change.”