Lake Mead, the nation’s largest reservoir and a vital source of water for more than 25 million people across the Southwest, has dwindled to its lowest levels ever as the region struggles through a punishing drought. The record, first broken on Thursday night and then again on the following days as the water level continued to fall, is the latest warning of the Colorado River’s dire condition. The river system, a lifeblood for much of the Western United States, is threatened by rising temperatures and decades of overuse. The seven states whose cities and farmers rely on it are locked in tense negotiations over how to divvy up what little water remains. Lake Mead’s milestone is a reminder that the clock is ticking.

Other Colorado River management news:

• AP News: Lake Mead hits historic low water level as Colorado River struggles
• Arizona Capitol Times (Phoenix): Lower Basin states brace for Colorado River cuts
• WBUR (Boston, Mass.): Arizona cities brace for big cuts to water supply
• The San Diego Tribune: San Diego appears to dodge Colorado River reductions, for now
• Your Wyoming Link (Casper): Shrinking reservoirs could reshape Colorado River use, Wyoming avoids immediate cuts
• John Fleck at Inkstain: Blog: Another Mead-Powell milestone
• The Planning Report: Blog: Felicia Marcus: “A new bridge with another expiration date”