Western US Drought Part 2: The Effects

This blog is Part 2 of a three part series about the ongoing major drought in the Western US. Check the previous post for Part 1 (current drought outlook). 

We previously examined the current outlook of the Western US drought. Now, it's time to take a look at some of the drought's effects, in particular the impact on water supply. 

Let's begin...

One of the most critical reservoirs for water supply in the Desert Southwest is Lake Mead. This is the reservoir created by Hoover Dam on the Colorado River, located on the border of Arizona and Nevada. (Map below).

Lake Mead supplies water for about 25 million people (National Park Service), and nearly all of the water supply in Las Vegas and surrounding areas comes from Lake Mead. 

In short...Lake Mead is critical to the water supply for millions of people in the Desert Southwest. 

The extraordinary reduction of water in Lake Mead is seen in this AP Photo, with a marina in the foreground.

The US Bureau of Reclamation (manages water storage/dams across the country) reports that Lake Mead is "full" at 1,229 feet above sea level (this last happened in summer 1983...since then the lake level has slowly declined). The current level as of May 2nd is 1,079 feet, a whopping 149 feet below full capacity. 

Lake Mead 1984 to 2016 interactive comparison: NASA Earth Observatory

This is only expected to get worse. Below is an informative graphic from US Lakes Online showing the current level of Lake Mead compared to other recent years.

The lake level is currently second lowest only to 2016, a very dry year. It is alarming that the level is already lower than other drought years, a sign that things are getting worse.

In late April 2021, 8 News Now Las Vegas reported that current projections show Lake Mead dropping to the lowest level on record within the next 20 months. The record low level is 1,071.6 feet (June 1981). This record could be long gone in the next couple years, with projections that Lake Mead will drop beneath 1,050 ft. by the end of 2022. (A level of 895 feet is needed for the water supply to be cut off...we are nowhere near that).

So...what does this mean? A recent article from The Salt Lake Tribune reported that if the lake is not above 1,075 feet by August 2021, a water shortage declaration will be issued. This will impact the states of Arizona, Wyoming, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Nevada, and California. 

Lake Mead Current Lake Levels: US Lakes Online

Lake Mead is not the only large reservoir impacted by the drought. Lake Powell, the reservoir upstream of Lake Mead on the Colorado River and formed by the Glen Canyon Dam, is also losing water. (map below)

At the current rate of water loss, Lake Powell will reach its lowest level since 1968, the Lake Powell Chronicle reported in mid April 2021.

A completely exposed boat launch on Lake Powell. Photo by National Park Service, found here.

Current water levels paint a grim picture for Lake Powell. The graphic below from US Lakes Online shows current levels compared to previous years since 2016.

2021 is taking a nosedive as the worst by far since 2016. Snowmelt might help the level some, but considering the snowpack itself is low, don't expect much improvement. Lake Powell supplies some 30 million people with water, so a water shortage here would have large consequences, just like at Lake Mead.

What is being done to combat the major water supply issues?

Not much as of now. The biggest impact right now is residents being urged to prepare for water shortages.

However, in some cities, more desperate measures are being taken. A Chicago Sun Times article from mid April reported on a Las Vegas proposal to ban ornamental grasses. Grass in places like highway medians (picture below of a Vegas highway).

Photo found here.

While this may seem like a very desperate measure, Las Vegas recently went a record 240 DAYS without rainfall. After a dry streak that lasted nearly 2/3 of a year, you can imagine why proposals like this are gaining ground.

Obviously, there are many more impacts that this drought is having on the Western United States, far too many for any one blog post. Many informative articles can be found online, and a lot can be learned from the links in this post.

Stay tuned for Part 3 of this drought series later this week. The next post will talk about the drought’s impact on wildfires and what effect it will have on the upcoming fire season (which has had an early start due to the drought).

The Weather Underground forecast for the upcoming week in Puyallup is below.