LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A federal report released Tuesday shows that the near-record snowpack in the Colorado River could help raise elevation of Lake Mead by more than 20 feet by the end of the year.
Officials say this "provides a critical opportunity for water agencies to improve long-term management of the river."
“Today’s report is definitely welcome news and will buy us time to make crucial decisions,” said Dan Denham, the Water Authority’s deputy general manager. “It’s critical that everyone with a stake in the river – including the Bureau of Reclamation, basin states, tribes and Mexico – continue to develop real and lasting solutions for the river’s long-term operation.”
Furthermore, a report from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation shows that "hydrological conditions" are expected to raise the water level in Lake Powell by more than 50-feet.
This elevation is important as water on Lake Powell and Lake Mead gets used by Nevada, California and Arizona.
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However, officials still emphasize that there is a continuing trend toward a hotter and drier climate. Long-term solutions are still needed.
“We are hopeful that Reclamation’s flow projections will materialize as expected,” Denham said. “At the same time, the Colorado River remains mired in decades of hot, dry weather that requires new thinking about water use and conservation across the Basin. As we work collaboratively to find consensus-based, long-term solutions that serve all water users, we will continue to advocate that any future actions uphold the Law of the River and California’s senior rights.”
