It is well known that Flaming Gorge has been affected by decreasing water levels, in part because of the area’s drought conditions and the other part to help Lake Powell. As a result, the elevation of Flaming Gorge Reservoir has dropped below 6,011 feet, leaving the Anvil Draw Boat Launch Area near Manila inoperable. The Colorado River Basin Facebook page shares that the Bureau of Reclamation “completed a bathymetric survey to verify the bottom elevations of 10 boat ramps to track when they could become inoperable. The only dock that is projected to be impacted in water year 2023 is the Anvil Draw Boat Launch Area.” It is expected that Flaming Gorge will continue to decline through fall and winter months to reach an elevation of 6,008 feet. As Reclamation looks at the risk levels of Lake Powell, especially if the water declines below the minimum power pool of 3,490 feet, it is possible that there could be additional water releases from Flaming Gorge in the operational year of 2023-2024.
