The water year has come to a close. Despite some much needed rain recently, Lake Mead still sits at record lows.
The water level for Lake Mead was 1078.10 feet at the end of September. The only time the lake had less water was during the 1930s when Mead was first filled.
“The lowest previous elevation at this time was 1022 feet in 1936,” said Rose Davis with the Bureau of Reclamation.
Luckily, an exceptionally rainy May saved Arizona from water cutbacks next year. Current projections show an 18 percent chance of a shortage for 2017 and a 52 percent chance for 2018.
A big El Nino could alter those calculations, but that depends not only on the size, but also where it hits.
“We need it to fall on the west side of the Rockies,” said Davis.
About 40 percent of Arizona’s water comes from the Colorado River
