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Lake Mead Forecast Drops 40 Feet by July 2027

By Drooid · Sep 18, 2026, 12:16 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation projects Lake Mead could fall about 40 feet by July 2027.
It forecasts Lake Mead at 1,007.38 feet in July 2027, rising to 1,020.51 feet by February 2028.
Both reservoirs recorded August levels lowest since before Lake Powell filled in 1963 after a record-low 2025-2026 snowpack.
In April, the Bureau will add up to 2.48 million acre-feet to Lake Powell.
It will cap Powell-to-Mead releases at 6 million acre-feet through September 2026.

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Story summary

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation projects Lake Mead could fall about 40 feet by July 2027.
It forecasts Lake Mead at 1,007.38 feet in July 2027, rising to 1,020.51 feet by February 2028.
Both reservoirs recorded August levels lowest since before Lake Powell filled in 1963 after a record-low 2025-2026 snowpack.
In April, the Bureau will add up to 2.48 million acre-feet to Lake Powell.
It will cap Powell-to-Mead releases at 6 million acre-feet through September 2026.