A literal watershed moment in the Colorado River crisis came Friday when Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States, fell to its lowest level on record. Its water level dropped even farther over the weekend, and experts say it could continue to fall through the rest of the year. On Monday, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation recorded a water level of just 1,040.09 feet (317.27 meters) above sea level at Lake Mead. That’s nearly 4 inches (10 centimeters) below the level observed Friday that broke the record low set on July 28, 2022, according to the agency. “It’s extremely significant and extremely concerning,” J.B. Hamby, chairman of the Colorado River Board of California and a board member of the Imperial Irrigation District, the largest user of the river’s water, told the Associated Press. “You have three-quarters of the population of the Colorado River Basin, some 30 million people, who are directly impacted by risks to Lake Mead.”
The disappearing Colorado River Basin In 1936, completion of the Hoover Dam blocked the flow of the Colorado River and created Lake Mead, which is considered at full capacity when its water level reaches 1,220 feet (371.86 meters) above sea level, though it can hold a maximum of 1,229 feet (374.6 meters). The reservoir is now at its lowest level ever recorded in the 90 years since it was filled.
