Lake Mead Water Levels Update as Reservoir 'On the Mend,' Says Scientist

Lake Mead appears to be "on the mend" as its water levels have steadily continued to rise at the start of this year.

The Nevada-Arizona reservoir's water levels stand at 1,072.46 feet as of January 30. This marks a rise of over 4 feet since the beginning of the month, when levels were at 1068.18.

While it may not seem like a huge rise, any fluctuation in the lake's water levels is important as in recent years they have dropped very low. The reservoir, which lies on the Colorado River, is the largest man-made lake in the U.S. and provides water for 25 million people living in the surrounding basin.

The region has recently seen a lot of rainfall, but conservation efforts have also helped drive the water levels up.

"We are having some crazy precipitation here in Arizona, as other parts of the West, especially California, are also enjoying," Andrea K. Gerlak, a professor at the University of Arizona and director at the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, told Newsweek.

"As I understand it, Lake Mead is on the mend due largely to the system conservation efforts from this past year. This means it really works when the diverse users in the basin – from cities to tribes – get together and agree to reductions from the river for the greater good of the basin. Of course, federal funding to seed and nurture this certainly helps."

How Does Lake Mead Fill Up?

Lake Mead is filled through the flows of the Colorado River, which gets its water from the surrounding snow pack in the Rocky Mountains. During years of high precipitation and snowpack levels, there is more water to replenish the West's reservoirs. However in times of prolonged drought, there is hardly enough to go around.

"What really drives lake levels at Mead is the snowpack that melts in the spring. That is the real contributor to our lake levels," Gerlak said. "Everyone I talk with suggests that it is the US Bureau of Reclamation modelers that can speak to this better. But it is a widespread understanding that it is winter rains that create snowpack that then melts that ultimately feeds our reservoirs."

Why Is Lake Mead in Trouble?

Although Lake Mead has seen a slight rise in levels recently, it is still only at around 30 percent of its entire capacity.

The main contributor to its low levels is prolonged drought conditions that plagued the West for several years. Although the region is no stranger to dry conditions, climate change has made seasonal rain patterns unpredictable.

A lack of precipitation, paired with an overconsumption of water, caused the lake's levels to drop significantly. In July 2022, the lake reached its lowest ever point of around 1,040 feet. That was the lowest it has been since it was first constructed in the 1930s.

Water officials are initiating water conservation efforts that will hopefully prevent this from happening again, but it remains to be seen how the lake will fare over the coming year.

Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about Lake Mead? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.