Lake Mead, Lake Powell Water Level Update as Warning Issued
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
The Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) has warned that continued drought conditions in the Colorado River Basin demand urgent new agreements to secure the region's water security.
Why It Matters
The Colorado River supplies water to more than 40 million people across seven western states and Mexico, as well as hydroelectric power systems.
Some forecasts previously indicated that Lake Powell could potentially see water levels drop below its minimum power pool—which refers to the minimum elevation needed to keep the dam's hydropower turbines operational—of 3,490 feet as early as December 2026.
Federal officials say the study's findings reinforce the need for states relying on the Colorado River to finalize post-2026 water-sharing agreements, replacing guidelines set to expire at the end of 2026. "We must develop new, sustainable operating guidelines that are robust enough to withstand ongoing drought and poor runoff conditions," David Palumbo, USBR's acting commissioner, said in the press release.
Aerial view of Boulder Basin, the northwestern arm of Lake Mead, shows the bathtub ring, indicator of long-term water loss, between Boulder City, Nevada, and the Las Vegas metropolitan area on July 3, 2025.
Aerial view of Boulder Basin, the northwestern arm of Lake Mead, shows the bathtub ring, indicator of long-term water loss, between Boulder City, Nevada, and the Las Vegas metropolitan area on July 3, 2025.
Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images
What To Know
In an August 15 news release, the agency detailed its latest 24-Month Study, which forecasts Lake Powell's elevation on January 1, 2026, at 3,538.47 feet—48 feet above the minimum power pool but 162 feet below capacity.
This projection puts Powell in the Mid-Elevation Release Tier, with a planned release of 7.48 million acre-feet for the 2026 water year, which runs from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026.
Lake Mead is expected to remain in a Level 1 Shortage Condition, with its elevation projected at 1,055.88 feet—20 feet below the Lower Basin shortage determination trigger, according to USBR.
This will require Arizona to forfeit 512,000 acre-feet—approximately 18 percent of its annual allocation. Nevada must contribute 21,000 acre-feet (seven percent of its share), while Mexico will reduce its water usage by 80,000 acre-feet under binational agreements. These cuts are mandated by the 2007 Interim Guidelines and the 2019 Drought Contingency Plan, both of which are set to expire in less than 18 months.
Short-term tools to stabilize levels—like conserving three million acre-feet in the Lower Basin and potentially sending additional water from upstream reservoirs to Lake Powell—remain in place until 2026. However, officials stress that these measures are stopgaps.
"These short-term tools will only help us for so long," said Scott Cameron, acting assistant secretary for water and science at the Department of the Interior. "The next set of guidelines need to be in place".
As of Tuesday, Lake Powell's elevation was 3,550.82 feet, while Lake Mead's was 1,054.84, according to USBR data.
What People Are Saying
Department of the Interior's acting assistant secretary for water and science Scott Cameron said in a statement: "As the basin prepares for the transition to post-2026 operating guidelines, the urgency for the seven Colorado River Basin states to reach a consensus agreement has never been clearer. We cannot afford to delay."
A USBR spokesperson told Newsweek in July: ""Reclamation continues to closely monitor hydrologic conditions in the Colorado River. We are proactively working with our partners to ensure readiness if drought response actions are needed...
"We are actively engaging with our Colorado River Basin partners as we work towards long-term operational agreements for the river after 2026."
What Happens Next
A separate study earlier this year found that increasing wastewater recycling to 40 percent in the Colorado River Basin could save around 900,000 acre-feet of water each year, which would be enough to supply nearly two million homes.
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