Reader comments
Lake Powell's shoreline

I love me some Lake Powell.

Glad to see that the lake is pretty full. A couple more wet springs...and we'll be set.

I wouldn't mind actually setting my boat from the main docks, oh well I love lake powell

Best Summer vacation hands down! Love this lake.

It is uncoscionable to be storing this amount of water in the middle of the desert in this time of economic crisis. Storing water in the deseret leads to a huge amount of evaporated water that could have otherwise reached California to grow crops for the poor. Not only that, but encourages people to waste their time boating, rather than helping the poor obtain food and shelter.

You're an idiot McGurkus. We don't need anymore water here in California to grow anything. We have to pay for all the water we get and the farmers are not wanting to pay for it, they want a handout. If Obama keeps this up, liberals like you will ruin not only our country, but the state of California. Ie people want to eat, get a job and earn some money to eat. Don't expect a handout like the rest of these liberals. You are like the Nazi's and Taliban. Wanting to control everything.

You could have spent 45 seconds helping the poor, instead of typing that ridiculous comment.

I must have missed the memo - I didn't know that the farms downstream in California were clamoring for more water for their crops. I didn't know that they had made more land for them to grow cheaper crops to feed the poor. Tough enough to find markets for what they grow now. Water is the least of their costs. You should be complaining about fuel costs to truck the veggies to market.

Makes more sense to me to keep the water upstream - ready and available for those downstream for when they need it - than to release it downstream hoping that they might take it. Very hard to put the water back in the bottle once it is released.

A full pool also benefits our pocket book by providing more consistent, cheaper and clean hydroelectric power for the West. Empty reservoirs don't - just ask the Lake Mead power managers.

McGurkus, how do you suggest we get all of this water to California. Pumps? Sure lets trade energy for water so that everyone in SoCal can keep taking from everyone else. Ask those in Northern California how they feel about water issues.

leads to cooler temperatures. Maybe we're contributing to Global Warming by trying to move all of our water to different places.

Lake Powell is amazing!! I am very excited to see that the pond is filling up. Just think, if the lake is full, that means that all of those farmers in California who are worried about feeding the poor will have a huge amount of water stored up incase of a drought! In the mean time, get the boat and the wake board and let's enjoy the water!!

4 of the last 5 years have been wet years. With all probability, a few drought years could come soon. Nobody knows for sure, of course. But we are due for some dry winters, statistically speaking. That would hurt Lake Powell.

Just curious. Is the technology available for those in California to process the water right next to them to convert it from salt water to fresh water or at least water usable for irrigation and crops? Otherwise, it's good to see the levels at Lake Powell up.

Guy, Guys.. McGurcus is a troll. Leave him be.

What are you doing to help the poor?

It seems hypocritical to be wasting your time and 'energy' writing comments using your computer.

If it weren't for Lake Powell southern California and Arizona would be uninhabited WASTELANDS and NOBODY would be enjoying the endless beauty in those areas.

Quit WASTING electricity making STUPID comments.

Aren't most of CA's crops grown in Northern CA? NCA's main water problem is the Delta Smelt and liberal judges. Lake Powell is at a higher elevation (read that as cooler climate) than Mead so evaporation is much less. The Dam is doing exactly what is was designed to do, hold the water from the wet years to release it in dry years. If the dam was removed the excess water would run to the sea and just be wasted. As for the poor, handouts only keep them dependent and give them the feeling of entitlement.

We definitely need more water in California. Liberal environmentalists sued to reduce the amount of water pulled out of the Sacramento River because of some little fish called the delta smelt. Because of this, many farmers in the Fresno area can't water their fields and are letting them fallow.

Actually, Lake Powell is one of the least wasteful reservoirs in the country. Evaporation is a function of surface area. Because Lake Powell is narrow and deep, its surface area is very small relative to its volume. Consequently, its rate of evaporation is very low - much lower than Lake Mead and other shallower, wider reservoirs. As for California farmers, they get most of the water anyway. The Colorado River does not actually reach the sea. Its water is all used up.

I will be enjoying my first LAKE POWELL VACATION early this September for several days. Cannot wait! (although have seen the lake several times, still be excited to be there! very glad to see the higher water level. GO 3777!)

If it weren't for lake Powell, Lake mead and Nevada would have seen major problems. Lake Powell is a wonderful place. If it were not their, I really wonder how many granolas would actually go down their and hike around. I have never seen anyone walking in the desert from Green river to the lake powell entry point and enjoying the sceenery or camping in the 40 years I have visited Lake Powell. My point, people don't go down and visit a desert.

National Park Service Visitor Summary Report
Total Recreation Visits for July, 2009

For Glen Canyon NRA

JUL 2008 353,404
JUL 2009 343,519
DIFF -9,885

YTD 2008 1,206,643
YTD 2009 1,182,380
DIFF -24,263


I checked the visitor counts year to date and we're 24k short compared to last year in July. The author should take note. However I like less people visiting.
-rich