US's two biggest reservoirs sink to unprecedented depths amid drought and demand

Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the largest and second-largest US reservoirs on the Colorado River, have both recorded their lowest water levels on record in August 2026. The reservoirs supply municipal water to about 40 million people and irrigation for roughly 5.5 million acres across seven southwestern states. Experts attribute the declines to climate change, population growth, and over-consumption, with levels expected to keep falling until spring snowmelt arrives.