- A new temporary ramp at Lake Powell aids boaters amid declining water levels.
- The ramp, completed last week, preserves access for multiday river trips.
- Officials hope it reverses declining rafting permits and supports local tourism.
HITE, San Juan County — A new temporary ramp is helping boaters preserve boat launching access at Lake Powell.
Utah outdoor recreation officials cut a ribbon last week to signal the completion of a new North Wash ramp toward the northern end of the nation's second-largest reservoir, retaining a popular ramp for multiday river trips.
The new ramp includes a reinforced surface of articulating concrete block mats, which seek to improve traction and durability within the area's steep terrain. Its access area is 16 feet wide, large enough to accommodate one party at a time. Most users will not need specialized equipment to use it, but Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation officials say that some might, depending on water levels and vessel size.
"Reliable river access is critical not only for recreation, but for the guides, outfitters, local communities and tourism economies connected to Cataract Canyon," said Jason Curry, the division's director, in a statement. "This project represents a strong collaborative effort to adapt to changing conditions at Lake Powell while helping ensure people can continue safely experiencing one of Utah's most iconic rivers."
Division officials announced the project in February after securing National Park Service approval to expedite all required processes for building the ramp. It came as Lake Powell dropped to 26% with a bleak water forecast.
The reservoir's forecast only got worse, with 800,000 acre-feet of water expected from Colorado River snowpack this year, approximately 13% of its median average and lowest on record, according to the National Weather Service's Colorado Basin River Forecast Center.
It remains at 25% capacity, rising slightly after the seven Colorado River Basin states, including Utah, agreed on an emergency plan to release 660,000 to 1 million acre-feet of water from Flaming Gorge over the next year.
As the reservoir has dropped in recent decades, the previous ramp had become difficult to use, creating many operational and safety challenges, said Jason Taylor, operations manager for Western River Expeditions.
"Once we couldn't use that ramp anymore, we were kind of left high and dry, if you will, without a place to take out," he said, following a ceremony on Friday, adding that previous alternatives were costly for operations in the Cataract Canyon area.
There was a "serious decline" in the number of private and commercial permit requests for rafting in the area, which bucked most other sections of the Colorado River, said Carly Lansche, planning director for the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation. She hopes that the new North Wash ramp will help fix access woes and reverse that trend.
The ramp is a temporary solution while a new long-term ramp project near North Hite is completed. Funding was provided by the Utah Outdoor Adventure Commission, with some additional support from the Public Lands Policy Coordination Office and the Utah Guides and Outfitters Association.
Lower levels also forced Lake Powell concessions provider Aramark to temporarily relocate Bullfrog Marina on the western shore of Lake Powell, closer to Halls Crossing Marina, this year.
Anyone planning to boat in the Colorado River or Lake Powell this summer is urged to review ramp conditions to see what options are available.
