Lake Mead and other US reservoirs plunge to lowest levels in decades as drought worsens

A new federal forecast projects that Lake Mead could fall another 20 feet below the level that exposed boats and human remains in 2022, reaching about 1,020 feet above sea level by July 2027. The reservoir, the nation’s largest, is already sitting near 1,052 feet, well below its full‑capacity mark of 1,229 feet. Held back by Hoover Dam, Lake Mead supplies water to Nevada, Arizona, California and parts of Mexico, and its declining level threatens drinking water, irrigation and hydropower generation for millions of people.

Federal data also show six major U.S. reservoirs at their lowest May levels in three decades, including Lake Mead at roughly 49 % of its typical storage and Lake Powell at about 39 %. Other reservoirs such as American Falls, Green Mountain and Choke Canyon are similarly depleted. The shortfalls reflect a severe, multi‑region drought with low snowpack and reduced rainfall, raising concerns about water shortages, agricultural strain and electricity output across the western United States.