Lake Mead, which was formed after the construction of the Hoover Dam in the 1930s, has been declining faster than many experts predicted, amid a devastating drought and intense heatwaves throughout the western states. With the lake at 35% capacity, the US Bureau of Reclamation declared the first ever “tier 1†water shortage. This declaration will enact water cuts next year to states that receive water from the Colorado River. Arizona will be hit the hardest, losing nearly 20% of its water supply from the river.
