On May 9, protected by neoprene, I bobbed around in a flooded canyon in Utahâs Lake Powell. The reservoir had fallen below 35 percent full, which gave me the unique opportunity to free-dive through an underwater bridge that was now suddenly within reach.
I eyed the 100 feet of sheer sandstone rising out of the water. For much of the past half-century, boats that entered upper Fiftymile Canyon in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area could blithely float over Gregory Natural Bridge with about 40 feet of clearance.
Not anymore. Two decades of drought had diminished the lake, and motorized river traffic could no longer float overtop.
Writers on the Range: As Lake Powell dwindles, wonders open up skyhinews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from skyhinews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Writers on the Range
On May 9, protected by neoprene, I bobbed around in a flooded canyon in Utah’s Lake Powell. The reservoir had fallen below 35 percent full, which gave me the unique opportunity to free-dive through an underwater bridge that was now suddenly within reach.
I eyed the 100 feet of sheer sandstone rising out of the water. For much of the past half-century, boats that entered upper Fiftymile Canyon in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area could blithely float over Gregory Natural Bridge with about 40 feet of clearance.
Not anymore. Two decades of drought had diminished the lake, and motorized river traffic could no longer float overtop.
Feds release water down Colorado to ensure Glen Canyon Dam can continue to generate power msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Boat ramps across Utah closed or restricted due to drought
Utah Division of Parks and Recreation; National Park Service
Millsite State Park boat ramp (Emery County) and Wahweap boat ramp at Lake Powell are seen with extremely low water levels due to Utah s drought.
and last updated 2021-07-17 20:44:50-04
SALT LAKE CITY â The extreme drought across the state of Utah has clearly impacted lakes and reservoirs, and several state parks have had to shut down their boat ramps to motorized watercraft as a result.
Some ramps at Lake Powell have also been restricted to certain uses.
As of the latest update, the following ramps were closed to motorized boat launches: