Lake Mead Hits Lowest Level Since 1930s Amid Ongoing Drought
Lake Mead's water surface fell to 1,040.5 feet, the lowest reading since the reservoir was filled, prompting federal officials to consider cuts to water deliveries for lower-basin states.
Lake Mead's water level dropped to 1,040.5 feet on Thursday, marking the lowest measurement since the reservoir was filled in the 1930s and surpassing the previous record set in 2022. The decline underscores growing stress on the Colorado River system, which also sees Lake Powell near historic lows.
The reservoir, created by the Hoover Dam and supplying water to more than 20 million people, is a key component of the region's water infrastructure. Researchers warn that the basin is entering conditions not previously experienced.
"Lake Mead and Lake Powell are essentially the region's savings account, and we've been drawing it down for years because the river has been overallocated while enduring 25 years of persistent drought," said Kathryn Sorensen of Arizona State University's Kyl Center for Water Policy.
Federal officials have outlined a ten-year management plan that could reduce water deliveries to the lower-basin states of California, Nevada and Arizona by up to 3 million acre-feet annually, with specific cuts expected by 2028. The plan does not impose mandatory reductions on the upper-basin states of Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico and Colorado, according to the Boulder City Review.