Lake Mead Water Update As New Forecast Sees Levels Rise

Lake Mead is forecast to rise over 6 feet by the end of the summer, despite the severe temperatures gripping the southwest.

Lake Mead—the largest man-made reservoir in the U.S.—lies between Nevada and Arizona, two areas that are currently suffering an intense heatwave.

Despite the weather—which some fear could plunge the area back into severe drought conditions—the lake, which has been drying up rapidly in recent years, is projected to rise.

This marks a dramatic change from this time last year. In summer 2022, the lake dropped to record low levels of 1,040 feet.

Data released by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation this week forecasts the lake could rise 1,065.59 feet by the end of September. The lake's water levels currently stand at 1,059.54, as of July 20. This would mark a 6-foot rise.

Experts have been extremely concerned by Lake Mead's low water levels in recent years. The southwestern drought, which has been ongoing for over a decade, has meant the reservoir's water is being used faster than it can be replenished.

This, paired with the hot weather, has meant worrying things for the 25 million people that rely on its water.

This was the reason for last year's particularly low levels.

But this year marks a different story.

Parts of the west were drenched in heavy rainfall over the winter period, from the end of December to early March.

Although this caused floods and a lot of disruption, it also provided much-needed snowpack in the Colorado Rockies.

When the temperatures began warming in the spring, this snowpack melted down and replenished the Colorado River.

The effect of this runoff can be seen clearly in Lake Mead's water levels.

At the beginning of this year, the lake's water levels stood at around 1,044 feet.

From May 1, after the storms had battered the region, levels began to rise dramatically. By the beginning of July water levels had risen to 1,056 feet. This increase has continued throughout the month. However, runoff is now clearly beginning to slow.

It is nearly a year exactly to the day that the reservoir reached its low level of 1,040 feet in 2022.

While the rise brings a sigh of relief, water levels are still not what they once were.

The lake holds a maximum water level of 1,229 feet. At its current levels, it is still only around 30 percent of its full capacity.

Fears are that if the drought worsens, and the southwest's extreme temperatures continue, it could eventually reach dead pool levels, at 895, which is its lowest possible water outlet.

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