The water level at Lake Mead is less than 10 feet away from rendering most of the hydroelectric turbines at the Hoover Dam inoperable. In a new projection from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the water level is expected to fall below 1,035 feet next April. That figure is critical. Currently just shy of 1,042 feet, if Lake Mead falls below 1,035 feet — a level not seen since the reservoir was filled in the 1930s — it’s expected that 70% of the Hoover Dam’s current hydropower production will be cut. The Bureau of Reclamation’s 24-month study released last week forecasts a continued decline in Lake Mead’s water level. The study projects Lake Mead falling to 1,031.6 feet in April 2027 and 1,010 feet by the end of June 2028. 

Other Colorado River management news:

• The Arizona Republic (Phoenix): Opinion: Arizona wants more Colorado River water. It should pay
• Walton Family Foundation: Blog: Ultramarathoner and global water activist Mina Guli takes on her biggest challenge yet—the Colorado River