Jul 29, 2022 Lake Mead just reached the lowest level it has ever been at and is swiftly approaching dead pool status. Lake Mead has just reached its lowest level ever, raising concerns that the reservoir may soon reach dead pool status. Brought on by the drought which has been hammering the southwest for over two decades. Lake Mead is rapidly being drained, and is approaching the 895 foot level, at which it can no longer flow. The lake currently stands at an elevation of 1040 feet, meaning it is less than 150 feet away from dead pool status. The Hoover dam, which is located on the lake, has already had to reduce the amount of energy being produced, and as the water level continues to fall, it may need to be reduced even more. In addition to the drought, the population of the southwest is continuing to grow, putting even more strain on the water supply. If it reaches the point of being a dead pool, water will no longer be able to flow, cutting off a vital source of water for the millions of people who live in the southwest. And even if the lake no longer flows, it doesn’t mean it’ll recover. As the sun continues to beat down on it and causes it to evaporate, the lake will continue to fall even though no water is flowing out. Based on its current trajectory, if we do nothing, the only thing that can save Lake Mead is a change in the weather. If the southwest were to get hit with a few good years of rain and snow, it would help to replenish the lake and prevent the disaster we are slowly watching unfold. Lake Mead still likely has a few years until it reaches dead pool status, so hopefully something is figured out by then, or the weather changes.