Lake Powell water level crisis
Water Crisis 2026

Lake Powell Is Disappearing — And It's Taking Hoover Dam's Power With It

America's second-largest reservoir has fallen to historic lows, threatening power for millions across the Southwest.

3,525 ft
Lake Powell Water Level in 2022
Its lowest since the reservoir first filled in the 1960s — just 25 ft above "dead pool," where water can no longer flow through Glen Canyon Dam
Power at Risk

Glen Canyon Dam: 5 States, Millions of Homes

The dam generates up to 1,320 megawatts of electricity for Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.

Agriculture Under Threat

Farmers in the Southwest Are Running Out of Water

The Colorado River supplies irrigation to 5.5 million acres of farmland.

Federal Response
The Bureau of Reclamation has declared unprecedented water shortages on the Colorado River in consecutive years. In 2026, Tier 3 water cuts reduced Arizona's allocation by 720,000 acre-feet — the largest mandatory cutback in the river's history.
23 Years
of Ongoing Megadrought
Scientists call the current drought in the American West the worst in 1,200 years — driven by climate change, rising temperatures, and reduced snowpack
What Can Americans Do?
Fix leaks, reduce lawn watering, choose drought-tolerant plants, and support climate-smart water policy. Every gallon counts when reservoirs are at historic lows.
Water Levels

Reservoirs at Historic Lows

Decades of drought have pushed major US reservoirs to critically low levels, reshaping water rights and policy across the West.

Federal Policy

Bureau of Reclamation Acts

Historic Tier 2 water cuts slash Arizona allocations by 21%, forcing farmers to fallow millions of acres and cities to accelerate conservation.

Agriculture

Farms Bear the Brunt

Farming consumes 70–80% of Colorado River water.

Conservation

Cities Lead Water Savings

Las Vegas recycles 99% of indoor water. Phoenix cut per-capita use 40% since 1980.