Lake Mead reaches record low water level amid ongoing drought
Lake Mead's elevation fell to 1,040.50 feet, the lowest on record, as prolonged drought and weak snowpack reduce water supplies in the Colorado River basin.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation reported Thursday that Lake Mead, the nation’s largest reservoir, fell to an elevation of 1,040.50 feet, surpassing the previous record low of 1,040.58 feet set in July 2022. The drop reflects a broader decline in water levels across Colorado River Basin reservoirs, driven by an extended drought and an unusually thin winter snowpack.
Lake Mead, formed by the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River and straddling Nevada and Arizona, provides water to millions of residents in the western United States. Its counterpart, Lake Powell, measured 3,521.43 feet on Thursday, approaching the prior record low of 3,519.92 feet recorded in April 2023 and the threshold needed for reliable hydropower generation.
The Colorado River basin supplies water to an estimated 40 million people across seven U.S. states and parts of Mexico, and it supports regional hydropower. Hydrologists have warned since the start of the year that continued low snowpack and warmer-than-average winter temperatures could push reservoir levels to critical points, as reduced snowmelt fails to replenish the system during spring runoff.