Steel plates are being used to extend the Wahweap Main Ramp at Lake Powell/NPS

Crews are extending the Wahweap Main Ramp at Lake Powell in Glen Canyon National Recreation with the use of 85-foot-long by 23-foot-wide steel plates that should allow use of the ramp even if the lake falls another 5-7 feet in elevation.

The plates, to be installed Wednesday, will accommodate houseboats, and a second 45-foot-long by 22-foot-wide boiler plate will accommodate other vessels. While the boiler plates are being installed on the west side of the ramp, boaters will be able to launch on the east side.

Based on current Bureau of Reclamation water level projections, this will extend use of that ramp to accommodate another 5-to-7 foot drop in water levels, to an elevation of approximately 3,555 feet, a park release said. Glen Canyon’s Wahweap District is accessed via State Highway 89 near Page, Arizona. 

The release did not say how much the extension would cost to install.

Glen Canyon staff say that due to the ongoing drought, lower water levels expected over the next several months will impact water access points and boat launch areas on Lake Powell. The park is maintaining boat launch access uplake and downlake with temporary ramp extensions and other measures as lake levels continue to drop, but not all ramps will be open. Check the park's website to learn the status of preferred launch destinations before heading to the lake. 

The park’s busy season is underway. When planning a trip Glen Canyon, visitors can expedite their arrival by purchasing passes ahead of time at these links: Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Site Pass in Arizona - Recreation.gov or Glen Canyon Weekly Boat Pass in Arizona - Recreation.gov. To relieve launch ramp congestion, please ready your boat at a nearby parking lot before driving to launch ramps. After departing the lake, visitors can speed up the Aquatic Invasive Species inspections for quagga mussels by cleaning and draining their vessels as they wait in line. 

Due to significant wind damage, Dangling Rope Marina remains closed, and no visitor services are available. Boaters are advised to plan accordingly before launching, as boat fuel is only available downlake at Wahweap or Antelope Point Marina and uplake at Bullfrog. The distance between the Wahweap area downlake and the Bullfrog/Halls Crossing area uplake is approximately 100 miles. For boaters averaging 20 to 25 mph, the Wahweap to Bullfrog 100-mile trip takes at least 4 to 5 hours without stopping. 

Park staff urge visitors to recreate responsibly, to monitor changing weather conditions and lake levels, and to exercise caution in all visitor use areas. With lower water levels, some channels and canyons on the lake will narrow requiring boat operators to be extra aware of their speed and proximity to other visitors. Always approach the shore with caution and watch for shallows and submerged debris.  

More safety information is available here: Safety - Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov); and here: Ten Things You Need To Know Before You Boat. Please follow Leave No Trace principles.