Lake Mead, the nation’s largest reservoir serving 20 million people, dropped to its lowest level on Friday since being built in 1936, according to the U.S Bureau of Reclamation.
Supplied by the Colorado River and considered full at 1,220 feet above sea level, Lake Mead hit 1,074 feet on Friday. It has not reached full capacity since 1983 and water levels have dropped consistently due to the 16-year long drought in the Colorado River basin.
“This problem is not going away and it is likely to get worse, perhaps far worse, as climate change unfolds,” said Brad Udall, a senior water and climate research scientist at Colorado State University.
Lake Mead declines to lowest water level since filled 80 years ago https://t.co/au5Nf4AHsH@MailOnline
— Ann Warburton (@AwWarburton) May 21, 2016
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