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How long can you challenge a desert?
In other words, how long can human ambition continue to push the natural boundaries of a desert?
I still remember the feeling we had when we looked out over Lake Powell from the Glen Dam in 1987 and it was like there were a lot of hairdryers blowing on us. At that moment, there was nothing wrong.
Now, you immediately notice that something is not right.
The shrinking blue spot
High above the current water level, a wide white strip runs along the rock walls. That so-called bathtub ring shows where the water stood for years.
Only when you stand in front of it yourself, do you realize how huge the difference really is. Dozens of meters of water have disappeared.
The lake remains impressive, but at the same time you can see that the deep blue spot of blue water has become much smaller.
When you read about it, you understand that the decreasing water level has many more consequences than just a changing landscape.
Marinas need to be constantly adapted or moved to deeper water. Some moorings have become unusable and boat ramps are drying up.
Companies that depend on water sports and recreation see their revenues fall.
What is an impressive view for tourists is a daily concern for many residents and entrepreneurs.
‘Hot’ lunch at Wahweap
It is nice to stay at the Wahweap picnic area, although a few degrees less would be welcome.
Actually, we were quite relieved that our camping adventure at the Wahweap campsite, among others, did not go ahead in the end; we wouldn’t have slept a wink here. There were only two tents on the entire campsite.
We used to walk straight into the water from here.
Now we even see cars driving to the boat launch platforms in the distance. The landscape here has changed a lot in the past twenty years.
Then
And now
Lake Powell was once presented as a triumph of human engineering. The reservoir, created by the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam, was supposed to store water for millions of people in the dry American West.
Today, it is one of the most visible symbols of the water crisis affecting the region.
Years of drought, a growing population and the consequences of climate change have put the system under increasing pressure.
The striking white limestone edges around the lake show how alarming the situation has become.
Two lakes, one story
The moment we ate our picnic there, we both found ourselves reminiscing about another place we visited earlier, in 1987: Mono Lake in California.
That lake was also the subject of a serious water crisis at the time.
Since the 1940s, much of the inflowing water had been diverted to Los Angeles, causing the water level to drop sharply and putting pressure on the ecosystem.
In the following decades, protective measures were introduced, which led to a partial recovery.
However, the lake has not fully regained its former water level to this day.
Whether such developments mainly contribute to awareness, or should be viewed from the perspective of water security, efficiency and urban supply, is viewed from different perspectives and remains a subject of discussion. Link: Article 1, Article 2.
First you see the view, then the story
At first glance, Lake Powell and Mono Lake seem to have little in common.
One is an artificial reservoir, the other a natural salt lake.
Yet they essentially tell the same story: that of a region where water has never been self-evident and where human choices have permanently changed the landscape.
Recently I read that the receding water of Lake Powell sometimes exposes traces of the past: wrecks of cars, objects and other remains that were hidden under water for years.
From that perspective, it raises the question of whether it is sometimes better that certain stories remain hidden, or not. Even nature reveals its secrets sooner or later.
As a traveler, you first see the beauty. Only later do you discover the story behind it. The white shores of Lake Powell and the fragile shoreline of Mono Lake show that the boundaries of nature can only stretch to a limited extent.
Emma
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