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.
Powell + Mead combined
12.49 maf
−3.2 maf vs. a year ago
Vs. the recorded peak
24%
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
Where Lake Powell is headed
Where Lake Mead is headed
Runoff outlook
| Month | Powell unregulated inflow outlook (kaf) |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 20 |
| August 2026 | 60 |
| September 2026 | 140 |
| October 2026 | 280 |
| November 2026 | 300 |
| December 2026 | 240 |
| January 2027 | 210 |
| February 2027 | 240 |
| March 2027 | 390 |
| April 2027 | 600 |
| May 2027 | 1,640 |
| June 2027 | 2,060 |
NOAA Colorado Basin River Forecast Center monthly outlook (50% exceedance ESP values), issued 7/1/2026, fetched at build — cbrfc.noaa.gov. Unregulated inflow is what would flow into Lake Powell absent upstream operations; it drives USBR's projections above.
Every tracked reservoir
| Reservoir | Elevation (ft) | Vs. 1 year (ft) | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taylor Park Reservoir | 9,301.86 | -16.51 | 2026-07-26 |
| Blue Mesa Reservoir | 7,437.32 | -46.46 | 2026-07-25 |
| Morrow Point Reservoir | 7,154.32 | -3.76 | 2026-07-25 |
| Crystal Reservoir | 6,752.26 | +0.7 | 2026-07-25 |
| Fontenelle Reservoir | 6,499.32 | -0.78 | 2026-07-25 |
| Flaming Gorge Reservoir | 6,013.07 | -13.35 | 2026-07-25 |
| Lake Powell | 3,522.96 | -33.59 | 2026-07-25 |
| Navajo Reservoir | 6,024 | -10.63 | 2026-07-26 |
| Lake Mead | 1,041.22 | -13.26 | 2026-07-26 |
| Lake Mohave | 643.52 | +0.74 | 2026-07-26 |
| Lake Havasu | 448.12 | +0.21 | 2026-07-26 |
Sources and computation rules: data & methodology.