LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the nation’s two largest reservoirs, are following patterns very similar to 2021, the year the water shortage was declared by the federal government.
There’s one big difference: Lake Mead is already 10 feet lower than it was then, despite ongoing conservation efforts. And that’s a problem for Las Vegas and millions of people who rely on the Colorado River for water.
A report released on Wednesday shows that Lake Mead is expected to be 5 feet lower a year from now. More concerning is the projection that shows it will drop an additional 15 feet by September 2027 — so, a total of 20 feet compared to now.
The same report shows Lake Powell will be 8 feet higher than it is today — likely based on the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) priority to continue to produce electricity at Glen Canyon Dam.
“The projection that Lake Powell will be higher in two years than it is today is wishful thinking,” Eric Balken, executive director of the Glen Canyon Institute, told 8 News Now on Thursday. “Anything is possible, but when it comes to 2-year projections, recent history has shown that BOR (Bureau of Reclamation) has been overly optimistic in most years.”…