Lake Mead hits record low level

Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States, fell to its lowest recorded level in history early on August 7, 2026, marking a new milestone in the Colorado River's long-term crisis. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation showed the lake's surface elevation dropped to 1,040.46 feet above sea level, dipping below the previous record of 1,040.50 feet set on July 28, 2022. The reservoir, which supplies water to more than 20 million people across the Southwest, has not been this low since it was first filled in the 1930s.

Federal projections indicate this record is likely just the beginning, with Lake Mead expected to set new monthly lows through 2028. The decline is driven by a combination of a 25-year megadrought, climate change leading to hotter and drier conditions, and chronic overuse of the river's water. A leading group of Colorado River researchers noted last month that the combined storage of Lake Mead and its upstream counterpart, Lake Powell, is at its lowest point since 1957, during the construction of Glen Canyon Dam.

The record low underscores the severe strain on the Colorado River Basin, a 1,400-mile system that provides water for 40 million people,...