Anyone else follow Lake Mead water level?

[bushmaster1313]

Lake Mead, the lake behind the Hoover Dam, has been very low for many years.

I get a kick out of following the water level at Lake Mead Water Level

(Edit: What I meant to say is that I enjoy watching the level of Lake Mead rise over the level of the past several years and I hope it continues to increase without harming those who rely on it.)

Any other Lake Mead level watchers on the Forum?

 

[PeterJ]

I haven't been faithfully following it but it has always been interesting to me. We have been there numerous times and I remember back in the 70's when it appeared to be almost full,,, what a sight. By the chart it appears to be rising again and it would be great to see it going down the overflow channel again.

 

[Muss Muggins]

I'm what you call a casual follower. Whenever I go to Las Vegas, we always seem to fly in over Lake Mead, and the high water line is pretty easy to see on the rock walls of the reservoir . . .

 

[EdinDenver]

I keep an eye on it upstream at Powell. Based on the snow we've received in Colorado this year, you can count on both water levels increasing substantially this year. There's a new water compact as well so hopefully it will stay that way for a few years (but I doubt it).

 

[Targets Guy]

I thought it had gone dry and turned into a motocross course.

 

[mojave30cal]

It's one of the reasons I moved from Las Vegas to Cedar City, Utah last January. A looming water shortage is not good for property values. However, this wet winter might put off the water shortage for another year.

 

[bushmaster1313]

On the chance that the dry spell in the Southwest will be even more prolonged, or perhaps the new normal, IMHO it would make good sense to bank some water in Lake Mead.

But what do I know

 

[Whitwabit]

Wasn't the last big drop of around 90 feet in 2014 and the lake has failed to recover due to the Southwest's drought which started in the early 2000's ..

It has only been at full pool 2 years since filling and has had a up and down depth cycle over the years .. In 1964 and 65 the depth was as low as todays ..

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Most of the water in Lake Mead comes from CO and Utah.
As posted above, for a number of years the SW US has in a drought situation.
Last fall the Animas River in Durango had the lowest level ever measured.
The Animas flows into the San Juan down in Farmington.
West of there the San Juan flows into the Colorado.
All these Rivers are major players in the Economy and Wefare of the SW US.
The recent snow levels in the high country do look promising.
But look at the drought map in the link below.
One good series of heavy snows is a great improvement but probably not enough to break the drought.
And I don’t get a ‘kick’ out of the economy and welfare of several US States being threatened.

#Drought news: Improvements in the Four Corners, E. #Utah and W. #Colorado | Coyote Gulch

 

[Nevada Ed]

the people in LA that water their lawns 7 days a week...........

 

[bushmaster1313]

And I don’t get a ‘kick’ out of the economy and welfare of several US States being threatened.

#Drought news: Improvements in the Four Corners, E. #Utah and W. #Colorado | Coyote Gulch

I get no kick from the the shortage. I should have said “I enjoy watching the level rise over the level of the last several years.”

 

[SPEEDGUNNER]

The chart is detailed but I much prefer to look at pictures of the lake at different levels. It is amazing when you think of how much water (gallons and gallons) required to raise the level just one inch. Mind boggling.

 

[LVSteve]

On the chance that the dry spell in the Southwest will be even more prolonged, or perhaps the new normal, IMHO it would make good sense to bank some water in Lake Mead.

But what do I know

You can't bank what you don't get in snow pack from further up the watershed. This year has been better, but it will take more than five years of greater than average snow pack to refill all the lakes on the Colorado.

Lake Mead is only at its current level because they dumped a bunch out of Lake Powell (and maybe another reservoir?) a few years back.

Yes, there has been a new water agreement made, but there are issues with it. First, the LA basin folks had to agree to take all of California's cuts. That's because the Imperial Valley water folk refused point blank to get into any agreement unless they got $200 million from the federal government to "restore" the Salton Sea.

You will note how I put restore in quotes. You must remember that the Salton Sea was created by a man made screw up. It is not a naturally formed lake with its own water sources, which is why it is drying up. Naturally, folk down there want the economic benefit of restoring it to its 1950s-60s heyday as a recreation spot. Uh-huh. Let me explain a few things about living in a DESERT...

 

[bluetopper]

I've always thought it would be money well spent and really not that expensive considering the benefits of building a water pipeline from the Mississippi River Basin to Lake Mead. It could be kept full and they never would miss the water, especially in times of flooding.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Speaking of Texas Water Movement -
T Boone Pickens had a plan to transport TX Panhandle Water to Dallas.
I was surprised to learn that the Panhandle had that much water!
It looks pretty dry over that way.
But it didn’t go.
As they say in TX and other places, this Dog won’t Hunt!
Beyond Wind Plan, Pickens Eyes Pipelines in Drought-Ridden U.S.

 

[CH4]

It's one of the reasons I moved from Las Vegas to Cedar City, Utah last January. A looming water shortage is not good for property values. However, this wet winter might put off the water shortage for another year.

Same in CA. Too bad most of the run-off goes straight to the Pacific cuz nobody wants to build dams.

 

[Chuck24]

If it falls too low, a lot of those boating accident guns may start to show up

 

[Old 44 Guy]

Last I heard the snow pack in the Sierras is 160% of normal. What dams we have will not stop flooding in the valleys. My kids go to Lake Mead every year for the fishing.

 

[charlie sherrill]

The Mississippi River will have well above average flooding this year and it floods almost every Spring and early Summer. Some flooding is beneficial, some is catastrophic. As mentioned above, I think pumping some water west during the high water years may be a good idea. From what I'm seeing recently this is going to be one of the catastrophic years and siphoning some West may be a good idea. Somebody has to pay for it but I don't think it would be the folks with the extra water. A lot of fresh water runs into the Pacific Ocean in California that could be trapped and held but good luck with the politics and enviromental people.

 

[BigBill]

If we can turn saltwater into freshwater in other countries than why can’t we pipe it anywhere i the nation. The pipeline in ak proved our capabilities.

Don’t forget the salmon return to spawn.