Water levels at Lake Powell ideal for fishing, recreation

BULLFROG —

It was the same cove — partially hidden from view, just off a tiny island near the midsection of Halls Creek Bay. But, there was something very different.

It was the beach. A year ago, the stretch of sandy beach had been a thin sliver, no wider than a single stride, no longer than two, surrounded by the rich, red slickrock. Now, it stretched a dozen yards long and nearly as wide, reaching well down into the water. It turns out the added beachfront property is one element in the unique personality of Lake Powell — its ever-changing profile.

The rising and lowering of the lake's water level opens some beaches and covers others. It widens some canyons while narrowing others, covers or uncovers growing vegetation, covers some island and uncovers others. It can bring some landmarks closer or push them away or, in this particular case, improve what was already an ideal campsite.

The lake is down about 4 feet from its high-water mark hit earlier this summer. It currently sits at around the 3,636-foot elevation, which is roughly 64 feet below full-pool, but close to 90 feet above the low-water mark of a decade ago. And it's about 4 feet lower than a year ago.

The water level is still well above what is needed to pass through the Cut out of Wahweap. When water levels were lower and the Cut was impassable, boaters had to follow the main channel around Antelope Point, which added an additional 12 miles or anywhere from 45 minutes to more than an hour traveling time up-lake.

Water is now at a level where it's opening up beachfront property. And it's at a level where flooded vegetation has brought about one of the best fishing seasons in decades.

"Those people who've been coming to Lake Powell for many years realize full-pool simply means less beach area. This year, water levels are such that a lot of new beach areas have opened," said Kerry Mystrom, resident district manager for northern operations for ARAMARK, which oversees Lake Powell Resorts and Marinas.

Lake levels have also helped, in a way, in the celebration of the 100th anniversary of Rainbow Bridge National Monument.

A decade ago, when the lake had dropped, the hike to the bridge was nearly two miles, which in the heat of summer impeded and even prevented visits.

Today, the hike from the location of the courtesy dock is less than three-quarters of a mile. Prior to the creation of Lake Powell, visits to the bridge involved a "substantial hike" from Navajo Mountain.