Lake Mead earlier this week was measured at 1,045.91 feet (above sea level), almost 3 feet above the level projected by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Most Probable 24-Month Study, which was released in March, according to published reports.
The bureau expected the level to have dropped to 1,043.06 feet, according to a report by KFOR News, and any increase is seen as a positive. The trend has continued for the last three months.
Lake Mead is a little more than 5 feet higher than the record-low of 1,040.71 feet measured July 27, 2022. According to the latest projection from the Bureau of Reclamation, the lake could drop to 1,036.9 feet by the end of April, just over 9 feet lower than its current level.
The snowpack has reportedly built the Snow Water Equivalent in the Colorado Rockies to 158% of the usual average, according to an 8 News Now report. However, this doesn’t necessarily directly translate to more water in Lake Mead, as water managers reportedly plan to fill reservoirs upstream of the lake.
Stakeholders speculate that the bureau will allow Lake Powell to benefit from the melting snowpack in Colorado before Lake Mead.
