- Lake Mead and Lake Powell are at record-low levels (about 27% and 24% capacity); Lake Mead is projected to fall to its lowest since the 1930s and could dip below 1,000 feet by mid-2028 in worst-case scenarios.
- Federal moves to protect Lake Powell’s hydropower level (including boosting upstream releases and cutting outflow) could leave even less water for downstream Lake Mead, and new shortage rules in 2027 may mean reduced Colorado River allocations for some states.
- Despite the crisis, Las Vegas officials say the city’s supply is secure for now thanks to conservation and water recycling, while scientists note climate change has trimmed basin runoff by roughly 20%.
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