Water levels in Lake Mead on May 13, 2015, when its surface elevation fell below 1,080 feet.
Foto:
Archivo/Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
A drought giant in the western United States is lowering the level of the Water in Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam at a historically low level, and this puts pressure on the supply of drinking water of the region and in electrical capacity of the dam, according to CNN.
On Tuesday, the level of Water in Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States, fed by the Colorado River, it fell below the 1,075-foot elevation. That mark has been reached only a handful of times since the Hoover Dam was completed in the 1930s, but it was always rebounded soon after. This time he may not recover soon.
By Thursday, Lake Mead’s water level is expected to sink to its lowest level since it began filling during the construction of the Hoover Damaccording to the spokeswoman for the Claim Office, Patricia Aaron.
“Lake Mead will most likely reach the elevation of 1,071.61 (feet) on Thursday, June 10. That will match the lowest elevation recorded since the 1930s,” Aaron said.
Lake Mead and Hoover Dam straddle the Arizona-Nevada state line along the Colorado River about 35 miles southeast of Las Vegas.
The river provides drinking water to Arizona, Nevada and part of Mexico. The dam generates electricity for parts of Arizona, California, and Nevada.
Although the level of Water of the lake reaches a new low this week, it will not reach the bottom. “We anticipate that Lake Mead’s elevation will continue to decline through November 2021,” Aaron said.
continued drought
Parts of the west and west intramontane have been in conditions of drought nearly continuous for decades. The so-called Intermountain West is the area between the Rocky and Cascade Mountains in the Pacific Northwest and the Sierra Nevada mountains in California.
“Some years are better than others and not in all places at all times, but the region has never fully recovered with enough rain and snow to erase the deficit,” said CNN meteorologist Brandon Miller.
Meteorologists fear that the exceptional conditions of drought observed in the western states can cause serious fires.
Miller described the drought as a “vicious cycle” in which dry land leads to less evaporation, which leads to less clouds and more sun, which equals more heat and evaporation.
“The climate change is clearly playing a role, as recent years have been among the hottest on record. Warmer temperatures are fueling that vicious cycle, making it harder for normal or even above-average rainy years to put a dent in the droughtMiller said. “When you get one or two years of below average rainfall/snowfall, like we just saw, the results are disastrous.”
As the water level falls it is predicted that it will become scarce
With no relief in sight, officials are planning another unprecedented statement in August, which is when operating conditions for the following year are set.
The effects of decades-long drought can be seen clearly on the shores of Lake Mead, fed by the Colorado River, which will this week reach its lowest level since it was filled in the 1930s. https://t.co/L7kkDSnABp
— Denver7 News (@DenverChannel) June 9, 2021
A Tier 1 shortage condition is likely to be declared by 2022 for Lake Mead, said a spokeswoman for the Bureau of Reclamation, Patricia Aaron to CNN, which means surrounding states will have to implement water-saving measures.
The level of Water at Lake Mead it also influences the electrical output of the dam.
Hoover Dam typically produces about 2,074 megawatts, according to the Western Area Power Administration. That’s enough electricity for almost 8 million people. Tuesday’s generating capacity was 1,567 megawatts, a drop of about 25%.
“Each foot of lake level decrease means about 6 (megawatts) of lost capacity,” he explained. Patricia Aaron.