‘Unrecognizable.’ Lake Mead, a lifeline for water in Los Angeles and the West, tips toward crisis

Lake Mead is at the lowest water levels in its 85-year history. Federal officials who manage the lake expect to soon declare a water shortage.
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Summary: "Lake Mead, a lifeline for 25 million people and millions of acres of farmland in California, Arizona, Nevada and Mexico, made history when it was engineered 85 years ago, capturing trillions of gallons of river water and ushering in the growth of the modern West."
"But after years of an unrelenting drought that has quickly accelerated amid record temperatures and lower snowpack melt, the lake is set to mark another, more dire turning point. Next month, the federal government expects to declare its first-ever shortage on the lake, triggering cuts to water delivered to Arizona, Nevada and Mexico on Jan. 1. If the lake, currently at 1,068 feet, drops 28 more feet by next year, the spigot of water to California will start to tighten in 2023."

What did you think was going to happen when you let millions upon millions settle in the desert having to channel in water? This should come as no surprise for anyone

something i realized a few years ago... i grew up with water department people coming into my class to talk about water conservation, yet most people who move here probably have no consideration about their usage or don't care about water because no one can afford a house to pay for their own water.

Worsening? I have photos from 2007 while standing on Hoover Dam and it looks exactly the same.

But let’s keep building mega resorts with 8 fountains and pretend there’s nothing to see here

Doesn’t look much different than August 2019 honestly. Also, if the water is at the top of the ring, it’s too high and starts to go over the overflows on the side as you can see in this photo. https://t.co/e2JDbBuBat

California needs to replace their lawns and grass with drought-resistent, low maintenance Asiatic #Jasmine. Just switching at post offices, government buildings and schools would make a huge reduction in water usage, fertilizer/ herbicides, fuel for mowing, and labor costs.

The growing population is the real culprit. More people consuming the water

Everything is fine. Not too worry the fountains still work https://t.co/QvZ0J6C7Id

Time for California to start looking into Salt Water Desalination 😎

Severe drought to the point that signs of it are plainly visible; the climate's just fine though, right? 🙄

I used to own a house in Las Vegas and was mortified by the number of people who had lawns there, with irrigation systems to keep them green. Such a waste of precious water.

Getting rid of the middle class is the only way to save the environment. Only the rich should be allowed to use more carbon and natural resources. Planes, boats and meat should be reserved only for the elite. Congress is headed that way but needs to move faster.

The climate change deniers in the replies are gross. Why y’all so far up big oils butt? What’s the point? Why does admiring that climate change is real and humans are the cause of it scare you so much? Why do you deny it? Scared some hippies are gonna take your truck???

All of my old ass neighbors are out watering their shitty lawns every single night and I don't want to be the new-to-the-neighborhood yungin' telling them what's what, but it's absolutely insane. Any advice?

I thought we got most of our water through the snow pack in the Sierra Nevada?

A good thing to do is get a plug or plastic bin for your sink and fill with soapy water to clean dishes. That way you don't need to run your sink consistently while dishwashing.

I lived in Las Vegas as a child, not just the strip but the whole city and Henderson too used water like it was nothing. Imagine how much water it take to power those casino fountain, canals, and waterfalls. Maintaining grass lawns and fruit trees in a desert takes so much water

I constantly see industrial areas with huge lush gardens and sprinklers spew water into the drains. Why do warehouses need green landscapes??

I'm sure the pools are full and grass is green in Vegas and LA.
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