Southern Nevada in Drought Alert

The Southern Nevada Water Authority declared a Drought Alert in January 2004. The drought declaration is in response to the worst drought on record in the Colorado River system, which supplies nearly 90 percent of our water supply.

Rain and snowmelt in the Rocky Mountains feed the Colorado River, which supplies Lake Mead with our drinking water. Because the drought has significantly reduced run-off to the Colorado River, Lake Mead's water level has dropped nearly 100 feet since January 2000.

Lake Mead reached a record high of 1,225 feet above sea level in 1983 when Hoover Dam's spillways were opened for the first time.	This 2003 photo shows the dramatic effects of the drought on Lake Mead. As of July 2004, the lake had dropped to 1,126 feet.

Valley working to keep drought at bay

Thanks to community compliance with drought restrictions, the Las Vegas Valley has reduced significantly its water use for the past three years.

Southern Nevadans consumed 15 billion gallons less water in 2007 than in 2002, despite the addition of 400,000 residents during that span and more than 40 million visitors in 2007.

Reducing outdoor water use is key

Responsible outdoor water use is the most effective method to conserve water and weather the drought. Water used or wasted outdoors is lost to our water cycle, while water "wasted" indoors flows through the sewer system to a water treatment facility and is returned to Lake Mead.