PrintDealing With Water Scarcity: A Diversified Portfolio
Due to a decades-long drought in the Colorado River system (see Sidebar: CO River Compact), the water level in Lake Mead has dropped by almost 140 feet since 2000 (Figure11). This corresponds to a decrease from ~25 million acre-feet of stored water to around 10 million acre-feet. If the lake water level drops to 1075 feet (as of Nov. 1, 2014, it is 1083 feet!), a federal shortage would be declared, triggering a reduction in Nevada and Arizona's allocations. To make matters worse, the two intakes in Lake Mead that withdraw water for Las Vegas cannot function if the lake level drops below 1050 feet (intake #1) or 1000 feet (intake #2). With the possibility of continued dry conditions, and because of their near sole dependence on Colorado River water, Las Vegas has developed a multi-pronged strategy to hedge against uncertainty due to future climate change coupled with likely increased demand due to growth and development in Clark County.
