Colorado River-Lake Mead

A paddle boat in Lake Mead near the Hoover Dam, far below the bathtub ring of light minerals indicating the lack of water, near Boulder City, Nev., on Friday, Aug. 7, 2026.

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Lake Mead hits historic low water level as Colorado River struggles

Lake Mead hits historic low water level as Colorado River struggles

The largest reservoir in the United States has plummeted to its lowest water level since it was created some 90 years ago. Federal data shows Lake Mead fell Friday to a level just below the prior record-low set in July 2022. It’s another sign of the crisis plaguing the Colorado River, a major waterway that supplies the U.S. West. The record comes after the worst snowpack on record for the Colorado River Basin. Federal officials recently announced a proposal to stave off a crisis in the beleaguered waterway by having the states of California, Nevada and Arizona to share cuts.