Here is some information and history about Lake Powell and Glen Canyon Dam that you may find helpful and interesting.
The Colorado River impounded behind Glen Canyon Dam near Page Arizona forms Lake Powell which is 560 feet deep when filled to capacity (3700 feet above mean sea level). The lake follows the flooded river gorge for 186 miles with many canyons and coves to explore along shoreline encompassing 1960 miles. The lake covers over 160,000 surface acres at full pool. Two inundated rivers, the San Juan and Escalante, branch off the Colorado River and comprise major portions of the reservoir.
Most of the shoreline is inaccessible with only four areas where access from any vehicle is possible. There are full service marinas and launch ramps at these access sites: Wahweap, Stateline, Antelope, Bullfrog, Hall’s Crossing and Hite (launch ramp only). A mid-lake marina, Dangling Rope, provides gas and services for boaters traveling the lake. There is no shore based access to Dangling Rope Marina. Dirt road access and primitive launching is available at Piute Farms on the San Juan Arm, Farley’s Canyon near Hite and Blue Notch Canyon in Good Hope Bay when the lake is near full pool.
Annual averages: Humidity 10%; Rainfall, 6 inches; Air temperature (F) – High and low – January 45 and 24, February 53 and 31, March 61 and 36, April 72 and 48, May 82 and 53, June 90 and 62, July 97 and 71, August 94 and 69, September 88 and 61, October 77 and 50, November 59 and 38, December 45 and 25.
Type
Concrete Arch
Construction Period:
1957-1964
Height above bedrock:
710 feet
Height above river channel:
583 feet
Crest length (arc at dam access:
1560 feet
Volume of concrete:
4,901,000 cubic yards
Cost of Dam:
$187,000,000
Generating Units:
8
Installed capacity:
1,296,000 KW
Cost of plant:
$97,000,000
Construction authorized:
April 11, 1956
First contract:
October 1, 1956
Diversion around dam site:
February 11, 1959
First bucket on concrete:
June 17, 1960
Last bucket of concrete:
September 13, 1963
First Power Generation:
September 4, 1964
Dedicated:
Lady Bird Johnson – September 22, 1966
Construction period:
1957-1959
Height above river:
700 feet
Span of bridge arch:
1028 feet
Vertical rise of arch:
165 feet
Start of storage:
March 13, 1963
Completion of initial fill:
June 22, 1980
Total capacity:
26,215,000 acre-feet
Surface area when full:
266 square miles (160,000 surface acres)
Length of Lake:
186 miles
Miles of shoreline:
1,960 miles
Maximum depth at Dam:
560 feet
Average evaporation:
2.5% of volume
Water temperature:
(F) Spring 64, Summer 77, Fall 61, Winter 49.
Largemouth:
(5)
Smallmouth:
(20)
Bluegill and green sunfish:
(50)
Black crappie:
(10)
Striped bass:
(no limit)
Walleye:
(10)
Channel catfish and bullhead catfish:
(25)
People camping in the national recreation area within 1/4 mile (.5km) of Lake Powell are required to have and use some device for containing solid human wastes, unless toilets are available on the beach. Use of plastic bags as receptacles for human waste is prohibited. Any vessel equipped with a marine sanitation device (toilet) capable of overboard sewage discharge must be sealed in a way that makes overboard discharge impossible. All wastes must be disposed of properly–in portable toilet dump stations or boat pump-out stations.
There are several floating boat pump-outs/portable toilet dump stations on Lake Powell. They are located: near the mouth of Warm Creek; the mouth of Face Canyon near Dominguez Butte; mouth of Rock Creek; Oak Canyon; mouth of the Escalante; the Rincon; mouth of Halls Creek; and, mouth of Forgotten Canyon.
More information found at: www.wayneswords.com and www.recreation.gov
