Lake Mead, nation's largest reservoir, hits record low

State considers new water contribution program

Tensions about water management are high on the Colorado River, even as water levels in reservoirs like Lake Mead drop to record lows and the west faces severe drought conditions.

Lake Mead, the Nation’s Largest Reservoir, Is Smaller Than Ever

Lake Mead, the nation’s largest reservoir and a vital source of water for more than 25 million people across the Southwest, has dwindled to its lowest levels ever as the region struggles through a punishing drought.

Lake Mead, The Largest Reservoir In The US, Has Just Reached Its Lowest Level Ever Recorded

"The Colorado River no longer reliably produces enough water to support all the uses and expectations built around it."

Lake Mead water crisis: Why the US reservoir is falling to historic lows

Lake Mead’s water level reached 1,040.4 feet (317.1 metres) above sea level on Friday (August 7), just below the previous record low set on July 28, 2022.

The U.S.’s Largest Reservoir Just Fell to Its Lowest Water Level

Boats cruise past a white "bathtub ring" of mineral-stained rocks left by higher water levels in The Narrows upstream of the Hoover Dam in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area on July 25, 2026. —Ethan Miller—Getty ImagesLake Mead, the reservoir on the Arizona-Nevada border that is a crucial source of water for the American Southwest, sank to its record-lowest levels in the past week, raising concerns about deepening water supply cuts affecting…