The Biden administration announced unprecedented cuts to the amount of water that can be taken from the Colorado River by Arizona, Nevada and Mexico as climate change drives a dry spell in one of the United States' most important river systems.
People take in the view from the Nevada side of the Hoover Dam, with the lake in dire need of water.
A Tier 2 shortage will be declared for the first time by the Interior Department if water levels in Lake Mead are below 1,100 feet above sea level by January.
The Interior Department said that Arizona, Nevada, and Mexico will have their yearly water allocations slashed.
In January, the water level in Lake Powell is projected to be just 32 feet above the threshold to be able to generate hydropower at the Glen Canyon Dam, which is essential in the operation of regional electric grids.
Tommy Beaudrau, deputy secretary of the Interior Department, said that the risk of wildfire has increased due to the extreme heat and low precipitation caused by climate change.
At least four sets of human bones have been found in the lake. The body of a man who had been shot and stored in a barrel between the 1970s and 1980s is thought to have been connected to a mob hit.
The Inflation Reduction Act includes financial incentives for farmers, businesses and communities to cut water usage and was signed by President Joe Biden.
The Colorado River Basin is going to reach a tipping point due to the long dry spell. She said that without action the system and millions of Americans who rely on it can't be protected. According to the New York Times, more than 40 million people rely on the Colorado River Basin for some of their water use. The reductions announced Tuesday are in addition to the reductions announced in 2021.
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