...
By Joe Edwards
Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Official data reveals how water levels at Lake Mead—a critical reservoir for several states in the western U.S.—evolved over the course of 2025.
Lake Mead, located in the Colorado River Basin, is the largest reservoir in the U.S. in terms of capacity, capable of storing more than 26 million acre-feet of water—the amount of water required to cover one acre to a depth of one foot. It is closely followed by Lake Powell, with a capacity of about 24 million acre-feet.
The reservoir supplies vital water to millions in Nevada, Arizona, California and parts of Mexico. However, declining water levels could jeopardize city water systems, farm irrigation and hydroelectric power output.
Read More on News
According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), Lake Mead at Hoover Dam’s elevation was 1066.37 feet at the end of January.
...
Between February and April, levels crept down from 1068.18 to 1062.23. May, June, July and August saw end-of-month elevations of 1057.02, 1054.98, 1054.14 and 1055.54, respectively.
November’s end-of-month elevation for Lake Mead at Hoover Dam was 1058.91 feet, according to USBR data.
As of December 21, official data shows that Lake Mead was just 33 percent full, with 8,553,300 acre-feet in storage—a figure that represents 53 percent of typical storage level for this date, based on data from the last 30 years, according to USBR.
Talks have been underway to set new operating rules for Lake Powell and Lake Mead, the two largest reservoirs on the Colorado River and in the U.S. The existing framework, known as the 2007 Operating Guidelines, expires in 2026. The post-2026 guidelines will govern how much water is released from the nation’s two largest reservoirs.
“Currently, the water-in-storage situation for the Colorado River system is not good,” Sharon Megdal, director of the University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center, told Newsweek. “[There is] less is in storage than last year, and current snow conditions are not good. Even if early 2026 snowpack is robust, the system will remain highly stressed. The region is faced with difficult choices regarding Colorado River water deliveries and dam operations, including those related hydropower generation.
“The debates regarding river management reflect these physical realities. There are many trade-offs to consider. We cannot keep drawing from savings [system storage] when the system is not making sufficient deposits of water. We must work with what nature is providing.”
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines