Lake Powell, the United States’ second-largest reservoir, has reached a record low, underscoring mounting stress across the Colorado River system after Lake Mead hit a historic low about a week earlier. The reservoir fell to 3,519.91 feet above sea level on Saturday, slightly below the previous record set in April 2023, according to U.S. Bureau of Reclamation data. Powell is now more than 20 feet lower than at the start of the year and sits about 30 feet above the point where turbines would stop generating hydroelectric power. The decline highlights the strain from persistent overuse, a record-dry winter and rising temperatures, while California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and Colorado remain in talks with the federal government over a long-term plan for the shrinking water supply. USBR in July proposed a 10-year framework that could impose major water cuts on Arizona, California and Nevada. The downturn is also disrupting tourism at Lake Powell, where marinas and boat access points have had to move or close as shorelines retreat.