Amid a historic water shortage, Lake Mead’s water levels rose this week to the highest point in nearly three years.
According to measurements taken at the end of January by the Bureau of Reclamation , Lake Mead’s water levels were reported to be 1,072.67 feet, the highest levels since May 2021, when they were measured at 1,073.50 feet.
California experienced heavy rain, winds and snow last week from an atmospheric river, also known as a “Pineapple Express,” although experts told Newsweek that it would depend on the previous storm and future storms to fill the reservoirs in Lake Mead and Lake Powell in Utah and Arizona.
Where is Lake Mead?
Lake Mead is reservoir in Nevada and Arizona formed by the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River, and is the largest reservoir in the U.S. in terms of water capacity.
It was first flooded in 1935 when the Hoover Dam was created, and provides water to Arizona, California, Nevada and some of Mexico.
What were Lake Mead’s water levels in 2023?
Lake Mead’s water levels rose slowly throughout 2023, although the measurements were lower than in the previous two years. Water level measurements began at 1,046.97 feet in January and ended at 1,068.18 feet in December.