Drought

The Colorado River system is facing the worst drought on record. Lake Mead's water level has dropped approximately 100 feet since January 2000. The Water Authority and its member agencies adopted a Water Resource Plan to meet demands during shortage.

Valley working to keep drought at bay

Thanks largely to community compliance with conservation measures and participation in various water-efficiency programs, the Las Vegas Valley is continuing a trend of declining water use.

Southern Nevada's annual water consumption decreased by nearly 26 billion gallons between 2002 and 2009, despite a population increase of 400,000 during that span and approximately 40 million annual visitors.

The SNWA Board of Directors established a conservation goal of 199 gallons per capita per day (GPCD) by 2035. Since 2002 when the drought response plan was first developed, Southern Nevada has reduced its GPCD demand 25 percent from 314 GPCD to 240 GPCD in 2009. While this reduction in water use can be attributed to community conservation efforts, recent economic conditions also may be a factor in the GPCD reduction.

SNWA monitors drought conditions

The Water Authority continually monitors conditions along the Colorado River, the source of the majority of our drinking water. SNWA is working with the other basin states that share the Colorado River to evaluate alternatives and find effective methods to manage the water supply. For more information, see the Water Resources section of our site.

Get water smart

Conserving water in the desert is everyone's responsibility. The Conservation and Rebates section provides useful tips and money-saving coupons and rebates.