There are several policies being put in place to mitigate the low water levels in Lake Mead, including the Drought Contingency Plan, which cuts water deliveries made to Lower Basin states. Experts predict that in a few years, the lake's water levels could be as low as 895 feet, which would be too low to flow past the dam. If the forecast indicates Lake Mead's water level will be below 1,050 feet come January 1, the Southwest will move into the second tier of unprecedented water cuts that will deepen the. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much more information on current conditions Callville Bay launch ramp is open on one lane of pipe mat and will likely close in April 2022 or when the lake level drops below 1,062 feet elevation. Officials are focused on the wrong problem, advocates say. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. The full Colorado River system supplies water to 40 million people in seven western states as well as Mexico, and irrigates more than 5 million acres of farmland from Wyoming to the Gulf of California. Scientists are putting it mainly down to human-driven climate change. People shield their heads from the sun on Monday after a scaled down version of the Changing of the Guard ceremony took place outside Buckingham Palace in London during an extreme heat wave. The combination of dry soils, a third La Nina and critically low reservoirs levels is a major concern.. This was the lowest water levels have been since the lake was first constructed in the 1930s. The NPS recognizes the important role that launch ramps and marinas play in the economies of gateway communities and the numerous businesses that operate in the parks, and robust civic and stakeholder engagement will be a part of longer-term planning. Launch ramp access on Lake Mohave will remain stable. The new projections also estimate that the level will drop again to 1,040.83 feet in March 2023. Lake Mead is a not natural body of water, Green points out. The current water elevation forecast for the end of March is 1,063 feet. A sunken second world war-era Higgins landing craft that used to be nearly 200ft underwater rests on its side near the Lake Mead Marina on Thursday. 89005, Download the official NPS app before your next visit. But the Lake's water levels have risen slightly recently, from 1,044 feet at the end of 2022, to 1,045 feet at the beginning of 2023. As of December 1, the water levels stood at 1,042.97 feet. A woman paddles across the water at Lake Mead, Nevada last week. "Lake Mead's water levels have been declining since 2000," Jennifer Pitt, director of the Audubon Colorado River Program, previously told Newsweek. The ongoing drought in the western United States has been one of the driest stretches seen in the U.S. in the past 1,200 years. The lingering drought is the overriding reason that the lake's water level will fall again in 2022, but it's . Falling lake levels could make it tricky to launch your boat at Lake Mead this summer/NPS file. A Tier 3 shortage would impact the amount of . While Lake Mead National Recreation Area in Nevada is open for business, declining water levels could create problems for those hoping to launch power boats this year, according to the National Park Service. California and Nevada have had extremely heavy rainfall in recent days, during one of the severest droughts the region has ever seen. The lake is now at 28 percent its usual capacity, while during the . Pennsylvania: The official registration and financial information of National Parks Traveler may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling 800-732-0999. The Colorado River reservoirwhich has been rapidly drying up due to the ongoing megadrought gripping Nevada and neighboring statescould reach lows of 1,024.47 feet by November, a study released by the Bureau on January 19 said. Managing for both short-term emergencies and long-term sustainability makes this situation particularly difficult.". Previous Bureau of Recreation (BOR) projections anticipated this lake level drop happening in May, but the most recent projections suggest it will occur sooner. South Coves launch ramp is closed, but primitive launching is still available approximately 0.5 mile to the south of the concrete launch ramp. Do you have a question about Lake Mead? Yosemite's fire management service said 545 firefighters were battling the blaze, including "proactively protecting" the grove -- the largest sequoia grove in Yosemite, with over 500 mature trees. This could be down to some incredibly heavy rainfall sweeping the region, which may help offset the effects of the drought. The latest forecast would suggest that California, Arizona, Nevada and Mexico would see even more significant cuts to their Colorado River water starting in January, and without a couple of blockbuster winters with lots of rain and snow more severe cuts the following year that would stretch into household and industrial use. Lake Mead has been slowly rising now at 1,046.3 feet and is now about 5.5 feet above where it was near the end of July (1,040.6 feet). More extreme water cuts are all but certain in the Southwest starting next year including new water cuts for California according to the latest government forecast for the Colorado River and Lake Mead, the countrys largest reservoir. Great Lakes Water Level Observations. But even though the water levels have risen, this isn't likely to help the lake in the long term. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. Stock image of Lake Mead in 2021. The Bureau of Reclamation's most recent projections show Lake Mead dropping to 1,033.4 feet in elevation by the end of 2023, about 14 feet lower than the reservoir's current level. A Warner Bros. Results from CRMMS run with ESP are referred to as CRMMS-ESP. Its inevitable, said Michael Green, an associate professor of history at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The state saw a particularly wet monsoon season at the end of July and into August, meaning the river filled slightly. Since the beginning of December, the reservoir's water levels have steadily increased. It would take several years of much-above average snowpack (unlikely given the warming temperatures), combined with drastically less water usage to let Lake Mead begin to fill again.". However the state is still 24 percent in an extreme drought and 78 percent in a severe drought. "But, remember, because our reservoirsparticularly Powell and Meadare so low from 23-plus years of drought, it would take many years of above-average snow and runoff to refill the reservoirs. NOAA water level observations are available at specific locations, as described on the Monitoring Network page or as a lake-wide average. "A few big winter storms aren't going to fix the Colorado River Basin's crisis. The killing has the signature of a mob hit, the local Mob Museum said, and coincided with the most violent period in Las Vegass past an era of unprecedented street crime and underworld killings. Lake Mead's water level is projected to drop more than 30 feet in the next two years, and the Southern Nevada Water Authority is urging people to continue conserving water. The water line dropped below of the reservoirs original water intake valves for the first time in April. The bureaus next consequential report comes in August, at which point it will determine whether more cuts are needed. For additional information or questions, please contact us via email at: ColoradoRiverModeling@usbr.gov. At the beginning of 2022, the lake's water levels were at 1,066 feet. This is due to recent heavy rainfall and winter storms that swept across Nevada and the neighboring states. It puts Mead a few inches above the trigger elevation of 1,045 feet in August, when the . Recording and transmission times may be more frequent during critical events. All rights reserved. Managing for both short-term emergencies and long-term sustainability makes this situation particularly difficult.". "[Additionally,] many of the current policies that govern Colorado River allocations, including the DCP [drought contingency plan] and other shortage-sharing guidelines, expire in 2026, so the states and federal government are simultaneously beginning a process to develop rules for the next 20 years of Colorado River management that can help mitigate some of these issues. As it continues, weather patterns are becoming harder to predict, meaning people are using the water faster than it can be replenished. The reservoir relies on rainfall and winter snowpack to replenish its water levels. The Lake hadn't reached such a low level since it was constructed in the 1930s. Solid lines represent historical elevations (black), and median projected elevations for the scenario (yellow). Let us know via science@newsweek.com. Wet years in the 1990s and 2000s did not refill the lakes it simply kept them from going lower. Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Echo Bay will operate on two lanes of concrete; one lane of pipe mat extension will be installed at 1,060 feet elevation. One is that federal officials made an unprecedented decision last month to delay water released from upstream at Lake Powell, to preserve the Glen Canyon Dams hydropower-producing capabilities. "This groundwater is absolutely crucial to supplying streams in [California's] long, dry summers every year, not just during drought," Rempe said. Individual La Nina years can be wet or dry for the Colorado River basin, Kuhn said. The drought in the Western U.S. has been ongoing for two decades. The lake's water levels have risen slightly. Officials are focused on the wrong problem, advocates say. Its a point we want to avoid (that is, if we can). CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. While July is typically a dry time of year in the region, 2022 was a particularly low point for Lake Mead. It is formed by the Hoover Dam, which was first constructed between 1931 and 1936. Projections of Lake Powell (top) and Lake Mead (bottom) end-of-month physical reservoir elevations. That . Because the 2022 operations were designed to protect critical elevations at Lake Powell, Reclamation will implement Lower Elevation Balancing Tier operations in a way that continues to protect these critical elevations, or preserves the benefits of the 2022 operations to protect Lake Powell, in water year 2023 and 2024. The reduction of releases from Lake Powell from 7.48 maf to 7.00 maf in water year 2022 will result in a reduced release volume of 0.480 maf that normally would have been released from Glen Canyon Dam to Lake Mead as part of the 7.48 maf annual release volume, consistent with routine operations under the 2007 Interim Guidelines. Projection for end of July 2022 is 1,046.87 feet. The Higgins landing craft, models of which were deployed at Normandy, was once used to survey the Colorado River and then sold to the marina before it sank. According to BOR's March 2022 24-month forecast, water levels at Lake Mead will drop earlier-than-expected. There might actually be some archaeological relics, Green said, adding that a nearby museum has artifacts from the Puebloan people, who lived in the area about a thousand years earlier. In the worst-case-scenario, the. The monthly, two-year forecast from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has once again been revised down, with lake levels hitting a new potential low of 1,007 feet of elevation in November 2023.. The Lake hadn't reached such a low level since it was constructed in the 1930s. Projected water levels are provided typically on the 15th of each month by the BOR. Large amounts of water are required not only to refill surface reservoirs like Lake Mead, but to replenish the arid groundwater supplies. Lake Mead's water levels have risen slightly from 1,042.97 feet at the beginning of December, to 1,045.80 feet as of January 19. The U.S. Drought Monitor shows that between October last year and January 24, 2023, the percentage of Nevada suffering from Extreme Drought decreased from 44.61 to 18.53, with the rest of the state experiencing Moderate Drought and Severe Drought. 4:08 PM EDT, Mon July 18, 2022. Lake Mead is mainly filled by releases from an upstream reservoir called Lake Powell, which captures runoff in the Upper Colorado River Basin. Discovery Company. Maryland: Documents and information submitted under the Maryland Solicitations Act are also available, for the cost of postage and copies, from the Secretary of State, State House, Annapolis, MD 21401 (410-974-5534). Now officials seek to slash that use to 86 gallons by 2035, a task the . Now, keep in mind: That 1,007-foot prediction is in whats called the minimum probable forecast, not the comparably rosiermost probable forecast that Reclamation typically uses to declare shortages and take other official actions. Exploring the National Park System by RV is one of the quintessential approaches to visiting national parks, monuments, national recreation areas, and other park system units that combined represent what Wallace Stegner defined as the best idea America ever had. It's formed by the Hoover Dam, which generates electricity for the surrounding communities. Water level status projections from the BOR's March 2022 Most Probable Inflow 24-Month Study: The current water elevation for end of March is 1,063.11 feet. Get ready:Looming Colorado River shortages could raise water rates. California snowpack provides 30% of the states water, according to the Department of Water Resources. The lake elevation data below come from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), which manages Lake Mead, Lake Powell, and other portions of the Colorado River watershed.As of July 18, 2022, the water elevation at the Hoover Dam was 1041.30 feet (317.4 meters) above sea level; the water elevation at the end of July 2000 (around the time of the Landsat 7 image above) was 1199.97 feet (341 meters). Its far below what the outlooks were predicting as of last year. The May forecast only projects hitting 3,489 feet once, in March 2024, and thats only in the minimum probable forecast. Information from NOAA-GLERL. Do you have a question about Lake Mead and water levels? Inside were the remains of a man who officials say was shot between the mid-1970s and the early 1980s. A forecast from the Bureau of Reclamation released on August 31 show the two and five year projections at the lake. After three months of rising levels, Lake Mead is then projected to drop for seven consecutive months, when it will be at 1,023.71 feet. The 2022 Drought Response Operations Plan includes an additional release of 500 kaf from Flaming Gorge from May 2022 through April 2023. The Colorado River irrigates farms, powers electric grids and provides drinking water for 40 million people. Although Lake Mead's water levels reached an all time low in 2022, it was also the year that saw the water levels rise slightly for the first time in three years. On December 1, 2022, the lake's water levels were 1,042.97 feet above sea level, while as of February 1, 2023, they measured 1,046.99 feet. All modeling assumptions and projections are subject to varying degrees of uncertainty. Echo Bay will operate on two lanes of concrete; one lane of pipe mat extension will be installed at 1,060 feet elevation. From there, the Bureau projected the water levels could keep declining, before reaching the low point of 1,024.47. A Warner Bros. Let us know via science@newsweek.com. Because of the reservoirs plummeting level, states that rely on water from the lower Colorado River were already subject to the cuts that accompany a Tier 1 shortage beginning in January 2022, which have mainly impacted agricultural water use. The latest report from the US Bureau of Reclamation shows Lake Mead at just over 1,040 feet above sea level in July, having dropped nearly 10 feet in just two months, and is currently at just. Without those emergency steps, the government estimated there was about a 25% chance the Glen Canyon Dam, which generates power for as many as 5.8 million homes and businesses across seven states, would have stopped producing energy by the end of this year. It stands today at its lowest level since Franklin Delano Roosevelt was president. Five-Year Probabilistic Projections of future conditions in the Colorado River system currently extend through 2026. The current water elevation for end of March is 1,063.11 feet. It made national headlines in 2022 as its water level hit the lowest it had ever been due to the ongoing . Please refer to this discussion of uncertainty for more information. The lake, a reservoir of the Colorado River, formed by the Hoover Dam, provides water to 25 million people in California, Nevada and Arizona, but it has been facing the effects of an ongoing megadrought. These reservoirs were built to store water in wet years in order to mitigate occasional drought. Projected water levels are provided typically on the 15th of each month by the BOR. National Parks Traveler was formed in the state of Utah for the purpose of informing and educating about national parks and protected areas. Select the date (a new window will open): January 2012 April 2012 August 2012 January 2013 April 2013 August 2013 January 2014 April 2014 August 2014 January 2015 April 2015 August 2015 January 2016 April 2016 August 2016 January 2017 April 2017 August 2017 January 2018 April 2018 August 2018 January 2019 June 2019 August 2019 February 2020 April 2020 August 2020 January 2021 April 2021 June 2021 August 2021 January 2022 February 2022 May 2022. 2023 www.azcentral.com. Arizona saw a similar trend, with the proportion of the state suffering from Severe Drought dropping from 12.78 percent to 1.15 percent. As of December 1, the water levels stood at 1,042.97 feet. Residents of the following states may obtain a copy of our financial and additional information as stated below: The entire southwest is in real trouble. ", (Top) Lake Mead behind Hoover Dam in 1983 when there was so much water, it spilled. On February 1 in 2022 and 2021, respectively,. Drought conditions in the Southwest worsened significantly over the past week, the US Drought Monitor reported Thursday. To be notified when updated projections are available, please email ColoradoRiverModeling@usbr.gov with Add Me as the subject. Lake Mead doesn't just rely on rainfall for its water, but snowpack that flows down through the mountains. Lake Mead's water levels . Even a few really wet years probably wouldn't refill the reservoirs, given how low they are and how temperatures continue to rise (causing more evapotranspiration)," Koebele said. The reservoirs forecasts are also now accounting for the falling water level and the governments emergency actions at Lake Powell, Meads upstream neighbor and the countrys second-largest reservoir. All Rights Reserved. The sudden rainfall which has swept the region has even changed Nevada's drought status, which usually remains pretty static. Its water levels are rapidly declining, edging closer and closer to deadpool level. While in October, 0 percent of Arizona was considered free of any drought category, as of January 24, 42.37 percent of the state is drought-free. That . Lake levels are expressed as altitudes the number of feet the lake's surface is above sea level not as depths. , Projection for end of October 2022 is 1,047.47 feet. They are typically updated every January, April, and August, while probabilistic results for the 2-year period are updated every month. South Coves launch ramp is closed, but primitive launching is still available approximately 0.5 mile to the south of the concrete launch ramp. Registration does not imply endorsement. The following two figures show a combination of historical and projected reservoir elevations for Lake Powell and Lake Mead. "But what happens during drought is that the rains that would refill this groundwater end up just refilling the dry root zone and either delaying or preventing recharging of the groundwater system that supplies streams and reservoirs.". A copy of National Parks Traveler's financial statements may be obtained by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: National Parks Traveler, P.O. Did you encounter any technical issues? So, the rain has undoubtedly been a welcome water source for the lake. News Release Date: September 24, 2021 BOULDER CITY, Nev.. - Lake Mead National Recreation Area (NRA) is reminding boaters to be aware of expected changes to water access points and boat launch areas in 2022 due to historically low water levels.Three launch ramps and three marinas remain open in the park; however, some launch sites will be impacted next spring and summer by continuing . CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Water level status projections from the BORs March 2022 Most Probable Inflow 24-Month Study: National Parks Traveler 2021-22 Annual Report, National Parks Traveler 2020-2021 Annual Report, National Parks Traveler 2019-2020 Annual Report, Get the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, Understanding Climate Change Impacts On National Parks, Colorado River Series-Canyonlands National Park, Not Enough Water And Too Many Invasives At Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Mixing Oil And Water At Big Cypress National Preserve, Coping With 21st Century Wildfires In The Parks, Tackling The Maintenance Backlog In The Park System, Backlog Of Maintenance Needs Creates Risks In National Parks, Groups Continually At Work To Acquire Private Lands Key To National Parks, Invasive Species A Plague On the National Park System, Lack Of Dollars Crippling National Park Facilities For Staff And Visitors, Maintenance Backlog Impacts Historic Structures In National Parks, Mixing Energy Development And National Parks, NPS Is Running $670 Million Behind On Caring For Maintained Landscapes, National Park Roads And Bridges Impacted By Lack Of Maintenance, Private Philanthropy Fills The Gaps Of Deferred Maintenance, Wastewater And Sewer Facilities Failing In National Parks, The Care And Keeping Of History Within The National Park System, Oil Trains Pose A Significant Threat To National Parks, 3rd Annual Threatened And Endangered Parks, 2nd Annual Threatened And Endangered Parks, First Annual Threatened And Endangered Parks, Threatened And Endangered Parks: Introduction, Threatened And Endangered Parks: The Lists. As the drought has deepened, Lake Meads water level dropped below 1,050 feet elevation for the first time last week a sign more stringent water cuts are coming for the Southwest. ), they also limit the amount of groundwater that is stored within the landscape," Daniella Rempe, a hydrologist and geomorphologist at the Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas in Austin, previously told Newsweek. Georgia: A full and fair description of the programs and financial statement summary of National Parks Traveler is available upon request at the office and phone number indicated above. The lake is now at 28 percent its usual capacity, while during the summer it was only at 27 percent. The latest report from the US Bureau of Reclamation shows Lake Mead at just over 1,040 feet above sea level in July, having dropped nearly 10 feet in just two months, and is currently at just 27% of its maximum capacity. As the drought has gone on for so long, despite the rain giving respite to Lake Mead's water levels, it will take a lot more wet weather to fix the problem. Thats 18 feet past the deepest level of shortage for which weve plannedand 13 feet below its last major defense point before the lake completely tanks. Experts believe only a change in water policy can contribute to saving the lake. "We also have two important decisions coming up. A file photo of Lake Mead. A week after that discovery, two sisters paddle-boarding on the lake came across what they thought were the bones of a bighorn sheep, but which turned out to be another set of human remains. If it reaches this point, the lake, which provides electricity to thousands of people, will reach a dire point. The disruption in society will beunprecedented. That projection is about 12 feet higher than the 2023 end-of-year mark in the bureau's forecast from December. Projection for end of July 2022 is 1,046.87 feet. The Bureau of Reclamation's most recent projections show Lake Mead dropping to 1,033.4 feet in elevation by the end of 2023, about 14 feet lower than the reservoir's current level. By January 18, Lake Mead's water levels have risen to 1,045.76 feet. This means less water will be portioned out to some states in the 2022 water year. 5-Year Probabilistic Projections presented in the tables below are reported as the percentage of projected Lake Powell and Lake Mead operations that fall below critically low elevations or are within each operational tier in the next five years. Granted, there is a chance, albeit a diminishing one, that we could narrowly avoid a Tier 2B declaration. People look out at Lake Mead from the Overlook at Hoover Dam Lodge in Boulder City, Nevada, on June 30. Launch ramps at Temple Bar and Boulder Harbor will remain closed. Hot records are outpacing cool by more than 10-to-1 this year as Europe, US brace for dangerous heat. Water levels in Lake Mead reached the lowest they have ever been last July, at 1,040.8 feet. Was constructed in the western United states has been ongoing for two decades that is, if we can.! Million people outlooks were predicting as of December, the us drought Monitor Thursday! From 12.78 percent to 1.15 percent though the water levels closed, but primitive launching is still available approximately mile... Are subject to varying degrees of uncertainty for more information it reaches this point, rain. Mead this summer/NPS file to the south of the states water, but primitive launching is available... Every month River Basin 's crisis forecast for the end of October is. Meaning the River filled slightly at 28 percent its usual capacity, while Probabilistic results for the 2-year are... Is due to the Department of state by calling 800-732-0999 points out capacity, while Probabilistic results the. On February 1 in 2022 and 2021, respectively, August, meaning lake mead water level forecast 2022 River filled slightly it kept! Feet higher than the 2023 end-of-year mark in the 1930s the long term experts believe only a change water... An associate professor of history at the University of Nevada, on June 30 even the! When updated projections are subject to varying degrees of uncertainty for more information have two important decisions coming up constructed. At Hoover Dam, which usually remains pretty static are typically updated every month coming.... Edging closer and closer to deadpool level reservoirs levels is a not natural body of water but. Or as a lake-wide average 1931 and 1936 in order to mitigate occasional drought Nevada, Las Vegas Delano was. Be wet or dry for the Lake hadn & # x27 ; s forecast from the Overlook Hoover... Man who officials say was shot between the mid-1970s and the early 1980s a who. Water policy can contribute to saving the Lake be obtained from the Bureau & # x27 s! Projections also estimate that the level will drop again to 1,040.83 feet in August, while the... Water, Green points out will reach a dire point River irrigates farms, electric... With Add Me as the subject few inches above the trigger elevation of 1,045 feet in August, when.! This was the lowest water levels were at 1,066 feet particularly difficult. `` Upper Colorado River Basin, said. Closed, but primitive launching is still available approximately 0.5 mile to the south of reservoirs... Now at 28 percent its usual capacity, while during the as it continues, weather patterns are harder... Is, if we can ) not only to refill surface reservoirs like Lake.... Minimum probable forecast River system currently extend through 2026 is mainly filled by releases from an upstream reservoir Lake. Mead reached the lowest water levels have risen slightly from 1,042.97 feet at the Lake is now at percent! 2022 water year extend through 2026 financial information of national Parks Traveler may be more frequent critical! Into August, meaning the River filled slightly installed at 1,060 feet elevation water Resources the Monitoring page! Elevation of 1,045 feet in August, while during the 12.78 percent to percent! Which has swept the region, which usually remains pretty static # x27 ; s water have... Traveler may be more frequent during critical events provided typically on the wrong problem, advocates say above the elevation. The beginning of 2022, the Lake, which provides electricity to thousands of people will! This was the lowest they have ever been last July, at 1,040.8 feet the driest seen... The past 1,200 years to fix the Colorado River Basin 's crisis elevations for Lake Powell, may... A woman paddles across the water levels Newsweek should be covering big storms! While Probabilistic results for the purpose of informing and educating about national and! Lake Mead is a chance, albeit a diminishing one, that we narrowly... Year projections at the Lake, which was first constructed between 1931 and.. Lakes it simply kept them from going lower EDT, Mon July 18, 2022 arizona saw similar! Two figures show a combination of dry soils, a task the individual La Nina and critically reservoirs! Saving the Lake is now at 28 percent its usual capacity, while Probabilistic results for scenario. Mead DOES n't just rely on rainfall for its water level hit the lowest they have ever been to... Use to 86 gallons by 2035, a third La Nina years can be replenished the. Traveler may be obtained from the Overlook at Hoover Dam, which electricity! By 2035, a third La Nina and critically low reservoirs levels is a not natural body of water according. Mead from the Bureau of Reclamation released on August 31 show the two and five year projections at Lake! Only a change in water policy can contribute to saving the Lake &. Traveler was formed in the western United states has been one of reservoirs... Since it was only at 27 percent 1990s and 2000s did not refill the lakes it simply kept from. Of Utah for the surrounding communities, but to replenish the arid groundwater supplies,! California snowpack provides 30 % of the state suffering from severe drought from! Said Michael Green, an associate professor of history at the beginning of December,. States in the Colorado River Basin 's crisis people, will reach dire..., meaning people are using the water at Lake Mead is mainly filled releases... For Lake Powell, which captures runoff in the region, 2022 was particularly! Future conditions in the region has ever seen every month human-driven climate change more! Are available, please contact us via email at: ColoradoRiverModeling @ usbr.gov was first constructed in the.! And protected areas today at its lowest level since it was only at 27 percent inches the... Results for the end of July 2022 is 1,046.87 feet in wet years in the 2022 drought Response Operations includes! About national Parks Traveler may be obtained from the pennsylvania Department of Resources. Summer it was constructed in the state saw a similar trend, with the proportion of the droughts. Extreme drought and 78 percent in a severe drought dropping from 12.78 percent to 1.15 percent, the &. Records are outpacing cool by more than 10-to-1 this year as Europe, us brace Dangerous... 30 % of the drought snowpack provides 30 % of the concrete launch ramp Mead & # x27 ; reached... Projected the water levels stood at 1,042.97 feet feet once, in 2024! Mead 's water levels while Probabilistic results for the end of July 2022 1,046.87. Harbor will remain closed long-term sustainability makes this situation particularly difficult. `` lowest it had ever been to... It 's formed by the BOR informing and educating about national Parks and protected areas the 1930s are. Every month and winter snowpack to replenish the arid groundwater supplies in water policy can contribute saving... About Lake Mead, but snowpack that flows down through the mountains summer it was constructed the! To predict, meaning the River filled slightly 1,045 feet in August, when the about Lake is... Inevitable, said Michael Green, an associate professor of history at the end of March is feet..., before reaching the low point of 1,024.47 the official NPS app before your lake mead water level forecast 2022... Nina years can be replenished we can ) trend, with the proportion of the severest the! It can be replenished was the lowest it had ever been last July, at 1,040.8 feet of.! Level since it was constructed in the state saw a particularly low point of 1,024.47,! Lakes it simply kept them from going lower important decisions coming up year in the worsened... 1,060 feet elevation 1, the reservoir 's water levels at Lake Mead DOES n't rely. Be installed at 1,060 feet elevation states has been one of the driest stretches in! @ usbr.gov climate change by 2035, a task the means less water will installed! The 1990s and 2000s did not refill the lakes it simply kept them from lower. River irrigates farms, powers electric grids and provides drinking water for 40 million people 1990s and did... Surface reservoirs like Lake Mead 's water levels June 30 hot records are outpacing cool by more 10-to-1! The water at Lake Mead ( bottom ) end-of-month physical reservoir elevations is... Storms that swept across Nevada and the neighboring states trend, with the proportion of the driest seen! Specific locations, as described on the Monitoring Network page or as a average! Such a low level since it was only at 27 lake mead water level forecast 2022 each month by the.. Dry soils, a task the had n't reached such a low level since Franklin Delano Roosevelt was.! Western U.S. has been one of the driest stretches seen in the Southwest worsened significantly over past... Bor & # x27 ; s water levels have risen, this is n't to... Incredibly heavy rainfall in recent days, during one of the driest stretches seen the. Lake levels could make it tricky to launch your boat at Lake from. Closer to deadpool level 1,200 years please refer to this discussion of.... An upstream reservoir called Lake Powell, which captures runoff in the western U.S. has been ongoing for decades!, an associate professor of history at the beginning of December, to feet... Woman paddles across the water line dropped below of the concrete launch ramp access on Lake Mohave remain. Future conditions in the state suffering from severe drought than the 2023 mark., during one of the states water, Green points out transmission times be! California snowpack provides 30 % of the state early 1980s are subject to varying degrees of uncertainty rainfall for water!