LOS ANGELES, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States, has fallen to its lowest water level since it was first filled in 1937, amid a prolonged drought, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
The lake's water elevation dropped to 1,040.50 feet (317.14 meters), according to the bureau. Bureau records show that the previous record low was 1,040.58 feet (317.17 meters), recorded in July 2022.
The Colorado River flows through seven states and provides water to 40 million people, according to the bureau. Based on the bureau's figures, Lake Mead was at about 27 percent of its capacity in early August.
Lake Mead was created by Hoover Dam on the Colorado River along the Nevada-Arizona border. The reservoir and the dam are located some 48 km southeast of Las Vegas, Nevada.
