Lake Powell on the Colorado River, USA

© Peter Schaefer/Alam

Man-made, meandering Lake Powell. World Water Day

Lake Powell is a man-made reservoir on the Colorado River, stretching across the Utah and Nevada border. It was formed in the 1960s after the US built the Glen Canyon Dam. Though the dam creates power through hydroelectricity, it also causes water loss due to evaporation from the broader surface area of the lake. When the drought took hold around 2000, the lake’s water levels began to plummet, and in 2005 it lost nearly half of its volume compared to 1999. It’s important to consider our dependence on fresh water, which is why the United Nations created World Water Day in 1993. Through education and activism, they aim to create better water practices on governmental and individual levels. As our global population increases, it’s crucial that we all do our part to conserve our freshwater and keep it clean.