Friday Top of the Scroll: Lake Mead water level running well below predictions, could drop another 12 feet by fall
Federal officials have a sobering forecast for the Colorado River Basin: Lake Mead, the nation’s largest reservoir which serves millions of people in the Southwest, will likely drop another 12 feet by this fall. It’s far below what the outlooks were predicting as of last year. The latest forecast from the US Bureau of Reclamation shows the reservoir plummeting from its current elevation of around 1049 feet above sea level to around 1037 feet by this September. One year after that, in September 2023, it suggests Lake Mead will be 26 feet lower than its current level — just 19% of the lake’s full capacity and a level that would trigger the most severe water cuts for the Southwest.
Related article:
- Arizona Republic: Metro Phoenix cities cut back on water as Colorado River deplete