HydroStatus

The Colorado River system

Lake Powell and Lake Mead are the Colorado River's two great savings accounts — together they hold the majority of the system's stored water and drive every operating decision on the river. Wondering about next year's water? See the winter outlook.

Powell + Mead combined
11.98 maf
−3.04 maf vs. a year ago
Lake Powell
5.13 maf
3,517.69 ft · details
Lake Mead
6.84 maf
1,038.06 ft · details
Vs. the recorded peak
23%
of the highest month-mean on record (52.3 maf, 1983-07)

The system at a glance

Each marker shows today's pool elevation; red names are lower than a year ago. Click any reservoir for its full page. Basemap: USGS The National Map; dam locations from USBR's hydrodata site map.

Combined storage, 1963–present

20 30 40 50 19641972198019881996200420122020
Powell + Mead end-of-month mean storage in million acre-feet, from USBR daily records. The series begins when Lake Powell first reported in 1963.

Where Lake Powell is headed

3,450 3,500 3,550 202620272028 Target elevation (drought response) (3,525 ft) Minimum power pool (3,490 ft) Observed Maximum Probable (May 2026)Most Probable (July 2026)Minimum Probable (Jul 2026)
USBR 24-Month Study end-of-month elevation scenarios for Lake Powell — separate model runs, not a statistical range.

Where Lake Mead is headed

1,000 1,020 1,040 1,060 202620272028 Level 1 shortage trigger (1,075 ft) Level 2 shortage trigger (1,050 ft) Level 3 shortage trigger (1,025 ft) Observed Maximum Probable (May 2026)Most Probable (July 2026)Minimum Probable (Jul 2026)
USBR 24-Month Study end-of-month elevation scenarios for Lake Mead — separate model runs, not a statistical range. Dashed lines: shortage-tier triggers from the 2007 Interim Guidelines (in force through 2026).

Runoff outlook

CBRFC outlook unavailable at build time — see cbrfc.noaa.gov.

Every tracked reservoir

ReservoirElevation (ft)Vs. 1 year (ft)As of
Taylor Park Reservoir 9,296.44 -11.33 2026-09-23
Blue Mesa Reservoir 7,413.37 -55.61 2026-09-23
Morrow Point Reservoir 7,157.3 -0.6 2026-09-23
Crystal Reservoir 6,736.42 -2.46 2026-09-23
Fontenelle Reservoir 6,498.38 +5.34 2026-09-23
Flaming Gorge Reservoir 6,007.85 -15.06 2026-09-23
Lake Powell 3,517.69 -27.71 2026-09-23
Navajo Reservoir 6,010.85 -11.2 2026-09-23
Lake Mead 1,038.06 -18.63 2026-09-23
Lake Mohave 638.73 -1.65 2026-09-23
Lake Havasu 447.04 -1.7 2026-09-23
Shasta Lake 983.47 -11.13 2026-09-23
Lake Oroville 762.74 -41.47 2026-09-23
Trinity Lake 2,319.12 -11.31 2026-09-23
New Melones Lake 1,007.46 -8.56 2026-09-23
San Luis Reservoir 492.24 +38.11 2026-09-23
Don Pedro Reservoir 788.87 -3.09 2026-09-22
Lake Berryessa 428.96 -1.2 2026-09-23
Folsom Lake 407.78 -2.52 2026-09-23
Pine Flat Lake 741.73 -26.12 2026-09-23
Lake McClure 786.57 -17.26 2026-09-22
Camanche Reservoir 226.61 +6.53 2026-09-22
New Bullards Bar Reservoir 1,895.9 +11.58 2026-09-23
Lake Perris 1,586.93 +0.87 2026-09-23
Castaic Lake 1,508.14 +18.9 2026-09-23
Lake Sonoma 446.97 +1.22 2026-09-23
Millerton Lake 504.85 -8.88 2026-09-23
Isabella Lake 2,557.59 -11.13 2026-09-23
New Hogan Lake 668.5 -0.25 2026-09-23

Sources and computation rules: data & methodology.