Lake Mead falls to record low as Colorado River crisis deepens
Why it matters: The reservoir helps supply water and hydropower to 40 million people across seven states, tribal nations and Mexico.
Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States, dropped to 1,040.4 feet above sea level on Friday, edging below its previous record low set in July 2022 as the Colorado River system remains under severe strain. The reservoir sits on the Arizona-Nevada border outside Las Vegas and is fed by a river battered by drought, rising temperatures and years of overuse. Federal officials this week also held back planned releases from Lake Powell through Glen Canyon Dam to protect hydropower operations. The Bureau of Reclamation has proposed additional cuts for Arizona, California and Nevada after the basin states failed to reach a long-term agreement on sharing the shrinking water supply.