PAGE, Ariz. — You’ve probably read the reports: Lake Powell’s water levels are dangerously low. So low, in fact, that docks all around the lake have been closed. Despite it all, local business owners who depend on tourism and lake recreation have one thing to say: We’re still open for business.
“The media coverage we’ve gotten so far is worse than the low water levels, in my opinion,” Judy Franz, executive director of the Page Lake Powell Chamber of Commerce, told St. George News. “I get calls everyday from people who want to know if there’s still water in the lake and whether or not businesses are open. My answer to both is, ‘Yes!'”
As Lake Powell’s waters dipped to historic lows this year, Franz said that members of the national media have grown increasingly interested in what’s happening in Page, Arizona.
A CNN headline from April read, “There is no water. See what Lake Powell looks like today.” As an example, the reporter showed footage of Lone Rock, a formerly popular swimming destination that is no longer surrounded by the lake’s waters.
The National Park Service recently relocated Swim Beach, a designated Wahweap swimming area, due to receding water and the myriad potential dangers of swimmers sharing waters with boats. But the lake still offers plenty of opportunities for visitors from Southern Utah, whom Franz said are among their best, and most numerous, customers.
“My husband takes people on fishing tours,” she said. “He’s busier now than he’s ever been.”
“If you want to visit Lake Powell, you should do your own research,” Franz added. “If you can dig deeper than the misinformation, you’ll find that there’s lots to do here. And there are many wonderful businesses that are looking forward to serving your needs.”
Resilience in the face of a changing landscape
“We’ve been here before,” said Ed Kmetz, owner and mechanic of Bulldog Marine in Page. “All the boats were kicked off the lake in 2013-14. They shut it down during the pandemic. Today’s not that much different. We just need to do what we can to get through it.”
Kmetz, an avid boater from Miami, Florida, sports a blue and white floral print shirt. Sitting behind a desk, it isn’t obvious that he suffered serious injuries a few weeks prior to meeting with St. George News. But as Kmetz explains, he’s been here before in more ways than one.
“I tried to buy Bulldog Marine in 2013,” he said, “but I was scammed by a pro. Now, a friend of mine owns it, and I run the day-to-day operations.”
Like Franz, Kmetz is taking a glass-half-full view of the situation. Despite low water levels and fewer tourists than usual, Kmetz said business is booming. He’s looking to expand to include upholstery and painting services.
“I’ve got so much work,” he said. “I need to hire more people.”
Kmetz’s office is chaotic. The phone rings continuously. Employees, kids and dogs come and go. Kmetz has a desktop and an open laptop sitting before him.
“We have an opportunity here,” he said. “Now that the waters are lower, new formations have emerged. There’s still plenty of water and shoreline to explore. The cliff faces have grown taller, and more colors can be seen.”
While there have been calls to drain the lake completely and let it return to a more or less natural state, Kmetz said there’s money to be made right now.
“People from back east call me all the time,” he said. “They ask if the lake’s empty, and I say, ‘No, it’s not empty. It’s beautiful!'”
“We’re not afraid of decreasing water levels,” Kmetz said. “We’re survivors. We’ll get through this.”
To that end, Kmetz is trying to remain flexible and resilient. If the lake should ever dry up, he has a vision of Page becoming Arizona’s version of Moab.
“The terrain will be here long after that lake dries up,” he said.
Members of Navajo Nation depend on lake’s economy
Hundreds of cars bake in the scorching noon sun at Antelope Point Marina, where the fuel dock is hopping and a steady flow of diners eat at its floating restaurant.
“We never really slowed down,” said Darlene Slim, a supervisor at the fuel dock. “COVID hurt us, but we kept seeing fuel sales. The people kept coming.”
Now, tourist numbers are rebounding.
“(This) is good for Page as well as the Navajo Nation,” Slim said. “Half the employees at Antelope Point Marina are Navajo.”
Members of the Navajo Nation also bring their share of business to the lake.
“They also like to boat here,” Slim said. “They like to fish. We have weddings and conventions here, and we haven’t slowed down.”
If the lake were to suddenly dry up and businesses go under, Slim said that she doesn’t know what she or her fellow workers would do.
“This is so important to our community,” she said. “We want people to come visit. We’re still here, and we love working here.”
Ed. note: This report is the first in a series by St. George News examining conditions at Lake Powell as drought conditions persist and water levels recede.
Read more:
- Recreation rebounds at Lake Powell as visitors find new opportunities in shallow waters
- ‘It’s not doomsday yet’ for Lake Powell, but continuing drought poses litany of challenges
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