Montgomery Simus

Two-Decade Hydropower Plunge at Big Colorado River Dams

Via Circle of Blue, a look at the two-decade hydropower plunge at two large Coloardo River dams:

Lakes Mead and Powell, the largest reservoirs on the Colorado River, do not just store water. Their dams, Hoover and Glen Canyon, also generate electricity.

This hydropower drives irrigation pumps and fuels industries. It keeps the lights on for customers on tribal lands, in the basin’s largest cities, and in sleepy desert towns.

But less of it is being generated these days. Hydropower output at Hoover and Glen Canyon has dropped considerably since 2000. That’s because the reservoirs have declined due to a warming climate and over-extraction.

The graphics below show these energy and water trends. The line chart displays annual hydropower generation. The background image depicts water-level changes in the reservoirs over the same time period.


Graphic © Geoff McGhee/The Water Desk 

Graphic © Geoff McGhee/The Water Desk