Lake Mead hits 1,075 feet, where the water shortage started in the first place

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Lake Mead is the highest it’s been since May 4, 2021, climbing Wednesday to 1,075 feet — the threshold for a water shortage, according to the federal government.

It’s symbolic, not an end to the water shortage.

And it has been cause for celebration at the lake, even if it’s short-lived. Lake Mead boaters have been posting reports about the rising water level at Boulder Harbor, and commenters are wishing it would reopen someday. Lake Mead National Recreation Area has said it’s not going to happen.

The lake has risen nearly 7 feet since the beginning of 2024.

“Recent precipitation along the lower Colorado River has reduced demand downstream by lower Colorado River water users, allowing Reclamation to keep additional supplies in Lake Mead,” according to Doug Hendrix, Nevada spokesman for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

Boat wreckages that surfaced over recent years are underwater again. But for how long?

Projections published in January show Lake Mead was expected to be at 1,073.32 feet by the end of February, the high point for 2024 before beginning a steady drop of about 19 feet by the end of November. New projections are expected this week. Lake levels are expressed in feet above sea level.

The water shortage, declared on Aug. 16, 2021, was based on projections released that month looking ahead to 2022 and 2023. Since the declaration, the shortage deepened from Tier 1 to Tier 2 until a wet winter came along a year ago. Currently, a Tier 1 shortage is in effect.

The steady rise began at the end of November and should end soon.

Last year, a “high-flow experiment” release that began near the end of April kicked off a four-month rise at Lake Mead that increased the lake level by nearly 20 feet during months when the lake is usually declining.

Lake Mead is currently 37% full.