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Posted on 10/28/2026 10:01:57 AM PDT by george76
Precipitation monitors recorded more than seven times normal rainfall in parts of southeastern Utah over the past month, driving a dramatic rise in Lake Powell and transforming the San Juan River.
...
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — A month of extraordinary rainfall across southeastern Utah has sent water pouring into Lake Powell, lifting the reservoir's elevation by nearly 10 feet and turning the normally placid San Juan River into a raging torrent.
Precipitation monitors in Bluff and at the Hans Flat Ranger Station tell the story.
While southwestern and northern Utah received about twice their normal precipitation over the last month, southeastern Utah got far more — more than 7 times normal in Bluff and 4.5 times normal at Hans Flat in Canyonlands National Park.
That rain had a dramatic effect on Lake Powell's tributaries, notably the often-dry Dirty Devil River near Hanksville and the San Juan River near Bluff. At normal times, the Colorado and Green rivers provide the lake with most of its water.
One month ago, the lake was taking in 7,300 cubic feet of water per second, and its elevation stood at 3,517 feet.
The inflow swung wildly over the following weeks. By Oct. 1, inflow had doubled. By Oct. 10, it had dropped again to 5,300 CFS. Then, on Oct. 15, 21,000 CFS came flooding in.
The surge continued to build. Inflow climbed back to that level on Oct. 20 and kept rising. On Oct. 22, inflow hit 63,000 CFS, with the San Juan running more than 15 times its normal flow. Two days later, the San Juan was flowing higher than every other tributary combined, aside from the Dirty Devil, which was also experiencing an immense surge.
The result: Lake Powell's elevation climbed to 3,527.5 feet. In a single month, it rose 9.8 feet.
The rise in Lake Powell's level is good news, but it still leaves the reservoir close to historic lows. The region could use more water, though nearby residents might prefer a rest.
Precipitation data comes from the National Weather Service. Streamflow data for rivers comes from the U.S. Geological Survey. Lake Powell levels and inflow come from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
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The like has still like 170 ft to go.
Only 160 feet more to go.
Bluff residents assess damage after San Juan River flooding destroys homes, businesses and local tourism..
Four businesses and seven homes flooded in the town of Bluff after the San Juan River overflowed, with officials warning more rain could worsen the historic flooding.
‘I am out of here’: Hurricane flood victim heading for higher ground..
Flood victims are exploring other options in Hurricane as community organizers call on state and federal government for relief aid.
Its added another 3 feet since this article so its up over 2530.
Over the next 7 days another 1-3 inches are expected over the colorado basin with a spread similar to the last 7 days.
This expected rainfall is similar to the rainfall that raised lake powell water levels in thelast 7 days. So Lake Powell may rise another 5-10 feet from here over the next 7-10 days.
The el nino pattern from the eastern pacific off the coast of central america remain persistant and strong. So right now there is no reason to expect the rains to stop anytime soon.
This is all before much of the big snowpack accumulating months of december january and february that typically raise the lake levels across the colorado basin.
the el nino this year is at a 100 year high so its not out of the question to suggest that lake levels in the west will substantially fill up by june of next year.
Powell raised 10 feet is a lot of water. Super artificial intelligence says:
Approximately 600,000 acre-feet, or about 195 billion gallons of water.
Has California claimed the water yet? They’ll use it to justify taking ten million more illegals.
Leading to the suggestion that I routinely make: force California out of the Colorado River Compact.
That agreement was made between actual Americans in separate states.
It was NOT intended to hand over water rights to millions of foreigners in the country illegally.
At minimum, the compact should be modified to reduce the California allocation by the ratio of illegals/citizens.
Heavy rain in southeast Utah has prompted a rise in Lake Powell’s water level.
Heavy rain that caused flooding last week in the Four Corners area of Utah, Colorado and New Mexico has had what water experts say is a beneficial side effect: A marked rise in the water level of Lake Powell.
https://www.sltrib.com/news/2026/10/26/lake-powell-has-been-rising/
Two Storms are expected to roll into Utah for Halloween weekend.. The rain from that second storm should turn to snow in elevations over 7,000-8,000 feet come Sunday night and Monday morning.
https://www.sltrib.com/news/2026/10/28/salt-lake-city-halloween-weekend/
California should use the ocean , but it is cheaper to steal water from the Colorado river and Owens valley (for LA).
Sounds like Global Warming to me.
Or is settled science Global Cooling this week?
I’m not seeing any change in the weather pattern —so it looks like there are more rains coming.
Sigh,
You mean big agriculture in California which uses 80% of the imported Colorado River water.
Urban use is 20% and that includes industrial, commercial and residential.
Residential use is 2/3 of that 20% and half of it is irrigation use on lawns not people.
So 6% is residential and 3% is actual indoor residential use on people.
Assuming half of California population is illegals that’s 1.5% of imported water is used for illegals. Note half of California population is not illegals maybe 25% at most.
STOP GROWING GRASS IN THE f©<king deserts.
Here’s the numbers and links.
Facts never emoticons.
Agriculture consumes approximately 80% of California’s total 4.4 million acre-foot allocation of imported Colorado River water. [1] (https://calmatters.org/environment/2023/01/colorado-river-water/)
The vast majority of this imported water goes directly to massive agricultural districts in the southeastern corner of the state, leaving the remaining ~20% for urban consumption in Southern California cities via the Metropolitan Water District. [1] (https://www.ppic.org/wp-content/uploads/californias-water-the-colorado-river-november-2018.pdf)
Breakdown of California’s Colorado River Water Usage
• Imperial Irrigation District (IID) (https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=%2Fm%2F0fd083): Earmarked for nearly 80% of California’s entire river allocation (~3.1 million acre-feet historically, down to roughly 2.6 million acre-feet following urban conservation water transfers).
Within the IID itself, 96% to 97% of all delivered water goes strictly to agricultural irrigation. [1] (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/following-water-how-colorado-river-moves-across-southern-carlos-duran-6bgfc), [2] (https://calmatters.org/environment/2023/01/colorado-river-water/)
• Palo Verde Irrigation District (PVID) (https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=%2Fg%2F1tfrxs53) & Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) (https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=%2Fm%2F0gx0p3g): Hold senior rights to several hundred thousand additional acre-feet of the river, which are also heavily dominated by agricultural irrigation.
• The Primary Crop: Over half of the agricultural water consumed in the broader Colorado River Basin is used to grow livestock feed crops, with alfalfa and grass hays making up the single largest share. [1] (https://science.nasa.gov/missions/landsat/meat-of-the-matter-colorado-river-over-consumed/), [2] (https://mcmsc.asu.edu/sites/g/files/litvpz576/files/2024-08/Water%20Project%20compressed_1.pdf)
“California should use the ocean , but it is cheaper to steal water from the Colorado river and Owens valley (for LA).”
Partially true.
Desalination even with nuclear power or better nuclear waste heat desalination will never be a cheap as capturing rain and pumping it to where you need it.
$150 per acre feet or less for pumped rain.
Desalination is always in the $700-5000 range way to expensive for flood irrigation which is where 80% of California’s 4.4 million acre feet per year goes too. Only 20% makes it to L.A. Or San Diego or any other urban areas.
If you built a huge UAE sized 4 pad reactor site and dedicated it to the door production of desalination you could double the flow of the lower Colorado River 11-14 million acre feet per year. It would cost 180-200 billion and you would pump that water 460 feet uphill to Lake Havasu from the Sea of Cortez right up the existing river valley channel via stair steeped aquaducts and massive pressure pipes and TBM tunnels. Acre feet would be in the $1500-2000 range.
Putting that in the coast between L.A. And San Diego and pumping it over the coastal mtns is to the imperial valley is actually further and more elevation and thus costs more per acre foot delivered to the agricultural sector. It would drop the L.A.and SD costs but not under $1200 per acre feet.
And you are missing the most important point: Big Ag employs nothing BUT illegals.
Ever been to Brawley, El Centro, the entire San Joaquin Valley and of course the ever absurd Pajaro Valley?
And you think a population of 25% illegal aliens is No Big Deal?
Big Ag brings in the illegals, protects them and then demands cheap H2O from all the other western states. It’s even gone to guns before: 1922, between Arizona and California.
Stop Growing Grass in the effing deserts indeed. Then we can send Los Invasores home to OaxacaStan where they can predate on each other like they been doin’ for the last 500 years.
Leave the water for (still) mostly American Arizona, Utah and Colorado. Nevada maybe...Lost Wages is just an extension of California.
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