The Colorado River, a vital water source for 40 million people in seven Western states, is under extreme strain as a decades-long megadrought, record heat and heavy water use push the system toward collapse. The crisis is especially visible at Lake Mead, the giant reservoir formed by Hoover Dam, which has fallen to its lowest level since April 1937.
As water levels drop, new signs of the lake’s long-buried past have emerged. In 2022, human remains were found in a barrel, followed by three more sets of remains later that summer. Officials said the shrinking reservoir is exposing a new shoreline and hidden debris, and the investigation remains ongoing. The white “bathtub ring” around the lake also underscores how sharply the water level has declined.
In response, the federal government mediated a deal among the three lower-basin states — California, Arizona and Nevada — to reduce water use by at least 3 million acre-feet by the end of 2026. That total equals more than 1.2 million Olympic-sized swimming pools. At least 1.5 million acre-feet will be conserved by the end of 2024, with another 1.5 million acre-feet saved by 2026.
Cities, agricultural districts and Native American tribes that follow the reductions will receive federal compensation. The agreement is intended to ease pressure on the Colorado River, but officials say a temporary deal alone will not solve the deeper crisis facing the river system.
