The largest water reservoir in the United States is at its lowest

It only reaches 27% of its capacity. Many large cities and Indian tribes are at risk of facing water and electricity shortages. Faced with this situation, the government has decided to take drastic measures from 2023.

Lake Mead is an artificial lake that stretches 180 km between the states of Nevada and Arizona. the lake mead water level has been falling continuously for 22 years, and has never been so low since April 1937, when it was filled. On July 18, the reservoir was filled to 27% of its capacity. Satellite images of the Nasa show the evolution of the lake between July 6, 2000 and July 3, 2022. On July 18, the water level measured on the Dam dam reached 317 meters, instead of 341 meters in July 2000. If the level continues to descend and goes below 300 meters, the hydroelectric turbines will no longer be able to function properly. The maximum capacity of the lake is 372 meters, a level last reached in 1999 and 1983. Only 10% of the filling of the lake comes from precipitation and water naturally present in the ground, the rest coming from the melting rocky mountain snow. However, last winter was marked by a large snowfall in Colorado, worsening the already catastrophic drought situation.

40 million Americans depend on Lake Mead

Currently, 74% of the territory of the western United States is in state of drought, of which 35% in a state of extreme drought. The most affected state is Colorado, with 83% of its territory in a state of drought. The drought affecting the American West is considered the worst in twelve centuries. Lake Mead is the largest reservoir of water in the United States, supplying 40 million Americans with water and electricity across seven states, as well as northern Mexico. The continuous drop in its water level regularly brings out vestiges of the past: human skeletons, boats, or even treasures from the mafia!

Many Indian tribes are totally dependent on it, as well as large cities like Los Angeles, phoenixThe ace vegas and San Diego. Two million hectares of agricultural land are also irrigated by the waters of the lake. The other water reservoirs in the American West are also in deficit, the powell lakeIt only reaches 27% of its capacity and the Colorado River 35%, while climate forecasts all point to worsening drought and rising temperatures for the coming decades. In order to preserve water resources, occasional water cuts will be carried out from January 2023: these will first concern agriculture, but it is already planned that these cuts will also be applied to factories and homes in the American West from 2024 if the situation continues to deteriorate.