Lake Mead, Lake Powell Sink to Record Combined Lows at 27% and 23% Full
Updated
Updated · Los Angeles Times · Jul 22
Lake Mead, Lake Powell Sink to Record Combined Lows at 27% and 23% Full
3 articles · Updated · Los Angeles Times · Jul 22
Summary
Lake Mead and Lake Powell have fallen below their previous 2023 combined low, marking the weakest storage on record for the Colorado River’s two biggest reservoirs.
Researchers tied the drop to a record-low Rocky Mountain snowpack, river flows averaging 32% below the last century since 2020, and warming-driven aridification across the basin.
Lake Powell is now 33 feet from the level where water can no longer reach hydropower intakes, while Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said a federal shortage plan will be released next week.
The seven basin states remain deadlocked over cuts: California, Arizona and Nevada offered 1.6 million acre-feet a year, while officials say federal mandatory reductions could reach roughly double that.
The crisis threatens water for 35 million people and 5 million acres of farmland, even as agencies pay for conservation — including a $65 million deal to keep 200,000 acre-feet in Lake Mead.
With a century-old water pact now broken, must the West sacrifice a major reservoir to survive?
Agriculture uses most of the Colorado River's water. Can the nation's food supply adapt to a drier future?
As billions are spent fighting drought, will running water soon become a luxury for millions of Americans?
Colorado River at Record Lows: The 2026 Water Crisis Threatening the American Southwest
Overview
In July 2026, the Colorado River Basin is facing an unprecedented crisis as both Lake Mead and Lake Powell, its two largest reservoirs, have reached critically low levels. This historic low in combined water storage poses immediate threats to water supply and power generation across the American Southwest. While Lake Mead was once lower in 2022, the current situation is more severe because Lake Powell was much higher then, making today’s simultaneous depletion of both reservoirs especially alarming. The crisis highlights the urgent need for action to secure water resources for millions who depend on the river.