Living Rivers - Colorado Riverkeeper
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Drought Watch...It's not a matter of if, but when.
The End of Lake Powell Campaign
Analysis of Draining Lake Powell [PDF file]
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Summary
Why was Glen Canyon Dam Built?
What lies under "Lake Powell"?
Historic opposition to Glen Canyon Dam
What about hydroelectric loss?
What about the water supply?
What about the sediment?
Why are people concerned about dam safety?
What about the recreation economy?
Dam safety concerns
Decommissoning timetable/costs

How do we address the issue of hydroelectric loss?

The power plant at Glen Canyon Dam currently generates 1,300 MW(megawatts) of electricity when fully operational. This represents enough power for about 350,000 homes, or about three percent of the supply in the six states served by the facility. At the present time, there is a surplus of power on the Colorado Plateau, and more power plants going online within the western region, thus Glen Canyon's power is not needed. Moreover, currently available energy conservation and efficiency programs could easily replace the power lost from a decommissioned Glen Canyon Dam with no cost to the environment. Lastly, the proposal to decommission a large hydro facility for restoration objectives is far from unprecedented. The US Army Corps of Engineers is proposing to decommission four major dams on the Lower Snake River in Washington State that collectively generate 2.5 times Glen Canyon Dam's capacity.

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Last Update: July 20, 2004

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Living Rivers    PO Box 466     Moab, UT 84532     435.259.1063     info@livingrivers.org