Officials in Arizona, California and Nevada have agreed to a new water conservation plan in an effort to stabilize the water level of Lake Mead, which in June fell to its lowest point in history.
A funding pool of $200 million is meant to incentivize communities in Arizona, California and Nevada to scale back their water use.
Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the U.S., is crucial as a water supply to farms, cities and power generators. But ongoing drought conditions have pushed it and the Colorado River system to extremely low levels. Boaters walk on a long dock across dry land and a formerly submerged boat that is now visible due to drought at the Callville Bay Resort and Marina, Lake Mead, on June 29.In a joint news release from the states, they said the water expected to be conserved is “enough water to serve about 1.5 million households a year” and “would add about 16 feet total to the reservoir’s level.”