The second-largest reservoir in the United States is called Lake Powell on the Colorado River. It has not been filled since 1999, and in 2022 reached a record low of about 23 percent full--nearly the point of "dead pool," where the lake would be below the outlet pipes. The reason is that with climate change and reservoir overcapacity (the largest reservoir of all, Lake Mead, is downstream of Powell), there is too much storage on the river relative to demand for agriculture, cities, and water lost from reservoir evaporation.
What to do? Science writer Zak Podmore examines the question in his book Life After Dead Pool: Lake Powell's Last Days and the Rebirth of the Colorado River, where he argues it's time to drain the lake, save a lot of water, and restore the wondrous beauty of flooded Glen Canyon.
Zak and University of Utah economist Marshall Steinbaum join us to talk about the political economy behind the construction of Glen Canyon Dam, how environmentalists went wrong attacking it with conservative arguments, and how the Colorado can be better managed as a resource for both people and nature. Subscribe now to hear the whole thing!