High-resolution geophysical data collected in Lake Powell, Utah-Arizona, U.S. Geological Survey Field Activity 2017-049-FA

High-resolution geophysical mapping of Lake Powell in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in Utah and Arizona was conducted between October 8 and November 15, 2017, as part of a collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey and the Bureau of Reclamation to provide high-quality data needed to reassess the area-capacity tables for the Lake Powell reservoir. Seismic data collected during this survey can help to define the rates of deposition within the San Juan and Colorado Rivers, which are the main inflows to Lake Powell. These new data are intended to improve water budget management decisions that affect the natural and recreational resources of the reservoir. Multibeam echosounder bathymetry and backscatter data were collected along 2,312 kilometers of tracklines (331 square kilometers) of the lake floor to regionally define its depth and morphology, as well as the character and distribution of lake-floor sediments. Ninety-two kilometers of seismic-reflection profile data were also collected to define the thickness and structure of sediment deposits near the confluences of the San Juan and Colorado Rivers.