Ducey allots $30M to keep water in declining Lake Mead reservoir

PHOENIX — As water levels in Lake Mead continue to decline, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey on Thursday announced the investment of $30 million to keep more water in the reservoir.

The funding will allow the state, through the Department of Water Resources, to partner with communities with Colorado River water rights to ensure the volume of water doesn’t reach critical levels, according to a press release.

“In Arizona, we’re committed to preserving a culture of conservation and protecting our water resources,” Ducey said.

“We will continue to work with community partners, tribal neighbors, other states and federal agencies to take innovative measures to secure Arizona’s water future now, and for years to come.”

The state has previously acted to curb the decline in Lake Mead’s surface levels, with Ducey signing the 2019 Drought Contingency Plan, as well as leaving thousands of acre-feet of its annual allocation in the reservoir.

The last time the man-made lake was full was in 2000, but the drought scorching the U.S. Southwest has had water levels on the decline ever since.

If water volume at Lake Mead — the Colorado River’s largest reservoir — reaches critical levels, power production at the Hoover Dam could be threatened and water supply could be cut off for at least 40 million people across seven states and Mexico.

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