America’s largest reservoir hits record low as water crisis deepens
- Lake Mead, the largest U.S. reservoir, hit a record low of 1,040.5 feet above sea level on Friday, surpassing its previous record set in July 2022.
- Located on the Arizona-Nevada border, Lake Mead provides drinking water to 20-25 million people and is a crucial part of the Colorado River Basin system, serving 40 million across seven states, tribal communities, and Mexico.
- The decline is largely due to below-average snowmelt runoff from the Rocky Mountains and a decision to keep more water in Lake Powell, which accelerates Lake Mead’s water level drop.
- Officials warn that the continued decrease could reduce Hoover Dam’s hydropower capacity by up to 40 percent and has already exposed previously submerged shorelines and other items.
- To address the crisis, Colorado has initiated a program to incentivize water conservation, and a federal plan proposes significant water use reductions for Arizona, California and Nevada.
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