Drought in the Southwest Region



Lake Mead and others are at historically low levels. That along with forest fires, restrictions on water use, and now a potentially record heat wave the US West is suffering the effects of chronic drought. Summer conditions are approaching and there seems to be no relief in sight. Some argue this is by climate change while other argue natural earth cycles contributing to the drought. Others blame poor resource management as the culprit.

Eighty-eight percent of the West was in a state of drought this week, including the entire states of California, Oregon, Utah and Nevada, according to official data.

In a particularly stark symptom of this trend, which is affecting more than 143 million Americans, Lake Mead — the country’s largest reservoir, lying at the border of Nevada and Arizona — now stands at its lowest level since its creation in the 1930s.

In this video we talk about how the drought could potentially also affect power generation in the southwest region. We also did an interview with the Bureau of Reclamation which we will posting in conjunction with this story.

Thanks to the Bureau of Reclamation for the drone footage of the dam.

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