This just when we are about to move to Las Vegas. Lake Mead supplies 90% of the water for Vegas. Due to the continuing drought, water levels in the lake are now at historic lows. The water district is feverishly drilling a new, very expensive, intake line at the bottom of the lake, like a bathtub drain, to prevent disaster should water levels drop below the current intake pipes. Back in the 1940’s, when there were practically no people in southwest Nevada, local authorities made the error of taking a large amount of power and very little water from Hoover Dam, a decision they’ve no doubt regretted ever since. The Imperial Valley in California gets about 20% of Colorado River water, Nevada gets about 1%.
However, the water situation isn’t exactly that much better here in California, now is it? A El Nino is expected. Let’s hope it brings monsoonal rains to California and the Southwest.