Low and Dry

The water level in Lake Mead sank to 1,040 feet above sea level during the summer of 2022, its lowest ever. At 895 feet of water depth, Lake Mead by Hoover Dam becomes a ‘deadpool’ where water will not flow downstream as part of the Colorado River hydropower system. Hydropower generation becomes at risk at the 1,206 ft level. Hydropower generation is now at risk signaling a potential catastrophic failure of the river system.

Image: Lake Mead Water Levels, New York Times

Image: Lake Mead Water Flow and Allocations

The Colorado River system is the key water supply for 40 million Americans across seven states: Arizona, Nevada, California (Southern), Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. Since these states are unlikely to agree to deep voluntary reductions in their water use, the federal government is likely to impose cuts for the first time with the Bureau of Reclamation asking states to submit a proposal by Jan. 31, 2023. Each state will undoubtedly look to interpret the legacy, nearly one hundred year old water rights laws to their advantage. 

If there is collective will to make immediate reductions in water consumption, restrictions on watering grass and lawns should be tops of many lists. Hundreds of thousands gallons of water are used to water lawns for a typical home in the top three thirsty states serviced by Lake Mead.

Image: Residential lawn sprinkler calculation

The evidence to-date suggests that there is not enough political will to make a significant impact on grass and lawn watering in the seven thirsty states.

Image: Grass and lawn data points for seven states serviced by Lake Mead

The quest for the perfect lawn will need to take a back seat as Lake Mead gets more low and dry.