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Southern Nevada is now in Drought Alert, the second of three drought
stages identified by the Southern Nevada Water Authority's (SNWA)
Drought Plan.
The SNWA Board of Directors determines the drought
stage based on several factors, including Lake Mead water levels,
Rocky Mountain snow pack, and the Colorado River basin water supply.
Coping with the drought
The Colorado River system is in the worst drought
on record. Since January 2000, Lake Mead's water level has dropped
approximately 100 feet.
As an SNWA member agency, the Las Vegas Valley
Water District adopted the SNWA
Drought Plan and updated district Service Rules to include mandatory
conservation measures based on the drought stage.
Among the drought measures are outdoor
watering restrictions, landscape watering assignments and increases
in water rates and water waste fees. Restrictions and water waste
fees increase as the drought stage elevates.
Causes of the drought
Snowmelt and precipitation in the Colorado Rocky Mountains feed
the Colorado River, which flows into Lake Mead. The Rockies have
had below-average snowfall for several years, decreasing the amount
of runoff into the Colorado River.
Lake Mead is more than three trillion gallons below capacity. Despite above-average rainfall in the valley and community-wide
conservation efforts, it will take many years of above-normal runoff
in the Rocky Mountains before Lake Mead's water level returns to
a "no drought" stage.
For more information about the drought and the Water
Authority's Drought Plan, see the
SNWA
drought web pages.
Lake
Mead at Hoover Dam |
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| 1983 |
2003 |
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