A plumbing issue at this Lake Powell dam could cause big trouble for Western water

KUNC | By Alex Hager

Published April 15, 2024 at 10:20 AM MDT

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Bob Martin, who manages hydropower at Glen Canyon Dam, shows the effects of cavitation on a decommissioned turbine. When air pockets enter hydroelectric equipment, they cause structural damage. Water managers have scrambled to keep Lake Powell's water levels above the hydropower intake, an effort to stave off cavitation.

Damage inside Glen Canyon Dam could mean problems with the "river outlet works," a set of small tubes near the bottom of the dam that were originally intended to release excess water when the reservoir is nearing full capacity. The dam allows water to pass through to the Colorado River and Grand Canyon.

Damage inside Glen Canyon Dam could mean problems with the "river outlet works," a set of small tubes near the bottom of the dam that were originally intended to release excess water when the reservoir is nearing full capacity. The dam allows water to pass through to the Colorado River and Grand Canyon.