Lake Mead water levels hit lowest point on record

LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Lake Mead water levels have hit the lowest point on record, as the crisis along the Colorado River deepens.

According to data from the Bureau of Reclamation, water levels dropped to 1,040.5 feet Thursday, below the previous record low of 1,040.58 feet set in 2022.

In July, the combined water level in the two reservoirs tumbled to a historic low. Together, the reservoirs haven’t been so low since 1957, during the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam, before Lake Powell even filled up.

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A spokesperson for the Bureau of Reclamation said last month that it and the Department of the Interior remained “committed to reducing the collective risk of both Lake Powell and Lake Mead falling below critical elevations to protect critical infrastructure to continue to meet the water and hydropower needs of the basin.”

This news also comes after the Bureau of Reclamation released its Final Environmental Impact Statement last week to address how the states would manage water allotments for the next decade.