Daily Episode 200: 2 Dams on the brink of disaster
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Hey, Corey here. We've had an influx of new listeners, and so I just want to make sure that if you are new to the podcast, you don't just jump in and start listening to these daily episodes which we've been doing. Please go back and listen to the first at least eight episodes so you have an idea of what collapse is, what it is that Corey is talking about. Also, if you've been with us for a while and you're enjoying the content, please join us on Patreon. We would love to see you there. There's a link, as always, in the description. All right. Yesterday we talked about the issue of too much water, of rising sea levels due to Thwaite's glacier and its impending doom. Today, let's talk about not enough water.
I think it's time for an update on what is happening in the Colorado River as we are entering peak summer months, a point at which usually for Lake Powell and Lake Meade, they see a large increase of Inflow as everything melts in the mountains, makes its way down to the river, and fills the reservoirs and dams. If you've been paying attention, that is not what is happening this year in either of these reservoirs. So we're going to take a look at it as they are both approaching vital thresholds, record lows, especially for this time of year, which is putting hydroelectrical power at risk, and in some cases is putting the dams. themselves at risk. So with that, let's jump in. At the end of each year, my family does a long shot bingo guess for the next year.
This was one of mine, and I'm proud of it because at the time there was absolutely no belief that we would achieve minimum power pool at either Lake Powell or Lake Mead. It wasn't in the cards at all. As a matter of fact, the Bureau of Reclamation. Releases a probability paper essentially saying what the likelihood of hitting a certain level is each year at the end of the year. And for both Lake Powell and Lake Mead, it was zero, between zero and one percent. And I said, nah, this is the year. I had no way of knowing. It was just a guess. It ended up being a brutally low and terrible winter, mixed with extreme heat. And month after month, the Bureau of Records. Reclamation and other research institutions came out and said, Hold on, actually, as the way it's looking, uh, we're gonna hit minimum power pool potentially in Lake Powell by the end of the year.
Lake Mead was going to be fine because Lake Powell releases a certain amount of water down to Lake Mead. Well, Lake Powell said there's multiple things that we have to do in order to preserve the level of the dam and allow it to continue to produce hydropower. One of those things is we have to release less water. And that's what they did. This came at great cost for Lake Mead and for many states and cities and tribes and countries, even downstream, meaning they were going to receive less water and they had to make cuts. On top of that, because that wasn't enough, Lake Powell also said, We need more water from upstream, meaning upstream. Other dams or reservoirs were going to have to sacrifice some of their water to prop up Lake Powell.
So Flaming Gorge released a significant amount of water and is still potentially making some of those releases in order to try and keep enough water in Lake Powell. So basically you have multiple different sources of water saved up around the west that are typically reserved as emergency savings if You will, being spent right now to barely prop up Lake Powell in an effort to keep it producing hydropower, one, and two, to even preserve the dam from potential catastrophic damage if water levels get too low. So talking for a minute about the savings account perspective, if we're talking about this from like a money sense, right? I'm a guy who's been living paycheck to paycheck. I have a little savings, but I've got my debts I have to pay.
What is the current water‑level crisis affecting Lake Powell and Lake Mead?
I've got my fixed costs and all that. Suddenly my income dries up. I can't make my debt payments. I'm getting incredibly close to not being able to pay my fixed expenses. And so I'm requesting the help of all my buddies, right?
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–3:53
2
What is the current water‑level crisis affecting Lake Powell and Lake Mead?
3:53–6:40
3
How close are Lake Powell and Lake Mead to their minimum power‑pool thresholds?
6:40–13:18
4
Why is Lake Powell’s water level being treated like an emergency savings account?
13:18–24:33