Federal officials reject cold-water release from Glen Canyon Dam amid hydropower worries

Federal water managers have decided against releasing a "cool mix flow" from Glen Canyon Dam this year, arguing that the move would jeopardize hydropower production under already strained conditions. The Bureau of Reclamation communicated the decision to various interest groups, emphasizing that drawing cold water from the deep portion of Lake Powell would cut electricity generation because turbines are not installed in that layer.

Lake Powell, now about 23% full, supplies warm surface water to the generators, while the cold water needed to lower downstream temperatures helps protect the threatened humpback chub and limits invasive smallmouth bass spawning. The Colorado River basin is suffering from the worst snowpack on record, shrinking reservoirs, and rising temperatures, intensifying the conflict between ecological preservation and power costs for consumers.

Conservation advocates, including American Rivers, lamented the missed opportunity but called for collaborative, innovative approaches. Hydropower buyers praised the decision, noting that alternative energy purchases would be more expensive and could increase customer bills. The agency plans to focus on rapid-response fish removal, backwater modifications, and new structural solutions to address the ongoing environmental challenges.