The water held back by Hoover Dam is at its lowest level, highlighting a drought that’s blanketing the western part of the country.
Hoover Dam’s Lake Mead is the largest reservoir in the U.S., providing water to 25 million people in Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Tucson and Las Vegas, Reuters reported.
The low levels could also impact the electric generating capacity, CNN reported.
Wednesday night, the surface of the water fell to 1,071.56 feet above sea level, the lowest it’s been since its creation in the 1930′s when the Colorado River was dammed.
The record had been set on July 1, 2016 when it was at 1.071.61 feet above sea level.
Bureau of Reclamation spokesperson Patricia Aaron told CNN that the government expects Lake Mead levels to keep falling until November.
The drought that has lowered water levels at Lake Mead has also impacted California, the Pacific Northwest and the Great Basin that covers Nevada, Oregon and Utah. Arizona, New Mexico and part of the Northern Plains are also feeling the dryness, Reuters reported.
For more on the drought’s impact, click here.
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