What Happens If Lake Mead Dries Up Forever? 

What do you think of the lakes drying up?

It's annoying that the state that uses that most water doesn't have to cut their water usage. I live in Arizona and our complex has fake grass and natural landscaping. There are some really nice fake grass options that a lot of these people need to invest in. It should be mandatory that if you live in the desert you use minimal amounts of water.

I love it that the dude says mother nature is gonna have to come to the rescue. Dude, Momma nature is already here. She has come to reclaim what you ass holes built over her canyon. She is pissed and wants it back

Do you mean what happens if the "historic drought" turns the desert into a desert?

Nature never intended a lake to be in a desert like this.

The Colorado river has been in a crisis for decades, yet they still keep building massive urban centers like Vegas. The story says Vegas gets ninety percent of its water from Lake Mead. This is simply insane to keep building, thus creating the need for more and more water. I lived in Vegas for a few years. I can't say I liked it much.

California desperately needs to start pulling their weight. Nevada & Arizona can’t keep shouldering this burden. I lived in The LA area for 2 years (2011-2013) and saw, first hand, how wasteful Californians are with water and complain bloody murder when they have to conserve. Nevada’s been doing it for decades.

Just looking at the colorado river compact, it's not a surprise, they actually divided the water that could be used but the total was more than what the river actually had, it had to cause problem at some point.

In order for the almost continuous drop in water levels over the past 22 years to reverse itself, either all the entities with straws in the river will need to suck less, or there will need to be more snow in the Rockies. Seems like every year the people who make the flow rate predictions are very, very , very optimistic about snow melt. Every year. Cockeyed optimistic. For 22 years. Think on that.

Don’t forget the almond and pistachio industry. That is one of the most water usage crops

I’m not sure why Phoenix, where I live, is allowed to continue growing like it has. It should be a fairly small desert town, not a massive city

Farming in the desert? What genius came up with that idea?

There are covers for pools that prevent almost all evaporation. They're also an excellent form of storage for a safe source of water and for fire protection.

Thoughts and prayers for all the people who thought it was a good idea to build a bunch of cities and farms in the desert.

Give this thought. What was once grown in Midwest is now grown in irrigated desert. The farms that were once in Midwest are now just not used. Plenty of water there. What happened? The irrigated cities and communities grew and each person needs water. Those that raise cattle in southwest are told how many any they can have per acre because of water and food for them. The same calculations can be used when it comes to how many humans can occupy. It is more consumption than it is climate change. Those huge Indian Pueblos that were deserted centuries ago were not in a dry climate when they were built. They were deserted because of natural climate change.

Am I the only one old enough to remember when it looked like Glen Canyon dam might get topped and they were using the emergency spillway at Hoover Dam? My prediction is the drought continue until it ends. They always do.

Mankind since the dawn of time: We have a problem we identified. Just keep doing what you’re doing.

Makes me appreciate living in Vancouver where there is no shortage of water

Don't be so vain; stop watering your lawns. Plant desert plants instead of tropical ones.

It is time the west coast started building desalination plants in large numbers!

Growing vast amounts of crops in areas that can't naturally support them is a bad idea.

Water's been taken away for lake Vegas

Well you live in the desert and there is a reason they call it that. Before they built the dam that was the nature of the area. We try and change nature to fit our needs but mother nature can not be beat.

I don't live in Arizona, Nevada or California , But my state is also in the midst of a bad drought, I feel like this very important issue and is very scary. It really makes me wonder what we're leaving our children.

I live in the Midwest where my home state borders both Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. We got no water shortages here! As if you needed more reasons to not move out west.

Just imagine if the Oceans started losing water when we expected coastal areas to flood.

No mention of California taking much more than their share of water allotment for years. While Arizona and Nevada conserve water, California wastes water. Case in point, desalinization of the Sultan Sea by sending fresh water into it from the Colorado river.

I live in Colorado and it's ridiculous how much folks waste. I try my best to conserve but I'm a single household. 🤷🏾

I guess it will just dry up.

Officials waited WAY TOO LONG before they forced homeowners to remove grass. The drought has been going on for 20 years and they just did this recently. 20 years! They should've banned grass 10 years ago. Too little too late. Imagine if the southwest loses it's water. Property values zero, millions on the move. Property values in nearby water sufficient areas will double. What were they thinking? Grass? In a dessert? Brilliant.

On the bright side, if Lake Mead dries up, there won't be a Battle for Hoover Dam in the post-apocalyptic future

Yet all the rich ass people in crystal cove and Newport coast run their sprinklers even on rainy days in cali

I'm glad I live in Maryland, where I'm surrounded by mountains, forest, and rivers.

The large showy water-features at the various ritzy casinos are using nonpotable saline water from beneath the city. Most of the river water is used to grow crops in AZ and S CA

Good Day everyone : If you are interested , as a type of a parallel , Central Australia has been in about 90% drought for about 50 years . It was only just very recently that heavy rain saved the day in Aussie . Maybe their could be some carried over lessons to be learned from Central Aussie to go to Lake Mead .

There is absolutely nothing similar about the Salton Sea and Lake Mead. The Salton Sea sits in a basin that is more than 200 feet below sea level. The basin flooded in the early 1900s when an irrigation canal breached and gushed water for 2 years. The lake has been shrinking ever since. Irrigation runoff has kept it from drying up completely. The runoff adds salt to the basin and with no outflow the salt continues to increase in concentration as the water evaporates.

I think it’s more relevant to say “when” it dries up

The Sunbelters will eventually migrate back to the Rustbelt of the Great Lakes region, which holds about 20% of the Earth's fresh water.

I grew up on this lake--lived in Henderson---can't even recognize it now---so sad!!! I have flow over it many times over the last few years--have seen it change so much I can't find any points I used to know!!! I had to move from Arkansas to So Cal in 2014---if is so awful!!!! So Cal is also in much trouble---Did the planners not see this coming? they should have-I saw it!!! More and more people moving here and subdivisions being named Lake -something---you can't do that in the desert!!! Come on guys--where are the smart people? You can fix this!!!

We had water restrictions here is South Australia. No watering the lawn before 5pm. All houses had to have water tanks etc. The aquifer gets filled with storm water during winter and then reused on market gardens when needed. Though we still have issues with the eastern states taking too much water from the river Murray for irrigation etc leading to the Murray mouth in South Australia to close up, also making the salt level increase in the river.

The level is coming back up. Looks good.

Maybe Jimmy Hoffa will finally turn up once the lake is gone. 😂😂😂

It's horrible but it's not just Lake Meade. Lake Meade is typical of what is happening all around the planet as abrupt exponential climate change accelerates at an alarming rate. People don't understand the implications of losing fresh water supplies. We die without water and we die without food...both are being destroyed by human caused climate change, which in turn is driven by greed and the general disconnection from soul and Nature that is endemic in the world today. Within 3-5 years there won't be another human being on Earth. Yes...it is happening that fast now. Pay attention. Get your affairs in order. Stay close to your loved ones. Time for homo sapiens is running short. Lake Meade is but 1 of many symptoms and signs that we are going extinct.

CALAI's been wasting water =DECADES/ Sending it out to SEA & OH =THEM=Golf Coarses Need to stay GREEN < LOL

The farms of the southwest provide tremendous food production. If you bring water to the desert stuff grows like mad. They’re not going to shut the farms down. They’ll cut back on water for municipal needs, not agriculture. Agriculture already takes the lion’s share.

Can’t imagine a day without water.

What do they do on other countries??.Desalination may be the only technology/solution available.

I've been saying since since I was a teenager so for 40+ years there needs to be desalination stations off the coast of California Oregon Washington and Texas that can pump water all the way to the states that need it like Nevada Arizona New Mexico or to California Oregon Washington Idaho Colorado. Just think how nice that would be now, not having to rely solely on rain and snow pack.

As a rain and cold loving person , I would just wilt away in Nevada .

well stop allowing people to go to the lake and preserve it.

It's not "drying up" it's being drained on purpose.

Sad that they won't use the ocean with filters to replace the water levels on the lake

Duh if it dries up forever, there will be no water anymore.

Throughout the history of the earth lakes have come and gone in some cases salt flats have been formed. A man made lake is no match for mother nature...

I just love how everyone in Government thinks the solution is conservation. Conservation will be necessary however, it's just a drop in the bucket. Mother Nature is telling us that this is not a drought. The climate conditions these days are actually normal for the region. What we have seen in the near past was a spike in unusually wet period. The Government and States (And Mexico) based their usage numbers on faulty data. They are just now figuring it out? They knew about this #0 years ago and did nothing about it. They did what was politically expedient instead of what needed to be done. Now they can no longer kick the can down the road and are scrabbling to blame some else for this catastrophe. They obvious is "Climate Change". Regardless which side of the isle you stand concerning the political issue, the reality is that even if it was due to man's release of carbon into the atmosphere, they knew about this long enough ago to mitigate the issue to address Colorado water usage. They could have limited City growth along with industrial water consumption. They could have slowed down agricultural water needs long before the system was at its breaking point. To date, all I have heard is what the problem is and who is to blame. I hear very little concerning real fixes to the problem. So what are our options? 1.) construct a canal from the Gulf of California in Mexico all the way to the Sultan Sea. It solves California's environmental disaster from the Sultan Sea drying up releasing tons to toxic material. It also will provide the wetlands that are in jeopardy from perishing. It also stabilizes the Sultan Sea's salinity, pH, turbidity, temperature, viscosity, and evaporation levels. Once filled a massive construction project will take place to build desalinization plants close to the Sultan Sea. This will be the inlet to the plant system. Desalinization is a costly endeavor however, if the Federal Government were to fund such a project, they would see billions in return from the extra farmland growth and taxes generated. Fresh water would incise further industry to the SouthWest. All of this would bring in millions into new homes and communities as long as they have the water. If not then we will see a mass migration to the East like no other. Home prices will not crash but simply disappear as nobody wants their water turned on for 3 days out of the week for a few hours. Having to fill bathtubs for drinking water. Jail-time and hearty fines for violations. Business packing it up and moving away. We have until 2024 and that's it. We are at Deadpool in Lake Mead. That date is a prediction from mathematic evaluations from Lake Powell and its inability to send water down the river in 14 months. Nothing can stop what's about to happen but we can get busy now to build the canals and plants along with the pipes that will carry the water to all of the cities. 2.) Move water from the East to the West by way of aquifers. It filled up a water shortage problem that has gone on for too long. our aquifers are being depleted faster than they can be filled by natural rain water. We need to build a interstate water recovery system that taps into areas under extreme flooding to the aquifers. It might not salve all the flooding issues but will produce billions of gallons into the aquifers eastern beach. From there, water is extracted to other aquifers until it reaches the rockies. There you have to pipe, pump, and reduce the flow into the Colorado River. To equal the volume of water on an average day, it will take 700 24" pipes pumping 24/7 to equal what Mother Nature sends down the river based on water usage requirements. The desalinization plants produce Potable water and the Rocky water lift program will be used for agricultural usage. 3.) Refill the Great Lake by pumping in seawater via pumping stations, piping, canals, and reducing stations. It will take a massive effort and cost billions to accomplish. 4.) Desalinization plants for Mexico and their potable water needs. Colorado water will still supply their agricultural needs but the plants will supply drinking water. 5.) More plants to replenish California's water problems. 6.) The energy needed to build and run such systems. It's going to take us back to mining and burning coal to run such a program. We will need natural gas and oil as well. We will also need energy from Nuclear plants and possibly Geothermal energy. Solar, wind, wave, and the rest of the pie in the sky alternative energy system might one day work but for now we need real BTU energy.

@ 4:00 is it supposed to be New Mexico?

When the water stops you do not want to be in ANY city that is out of aqua..We are living in interesting times!!!

This is very sad! Some one in a high place wants it dry!!!

1. Those giant tunnel drills for building roads can be used to build underground water tanks around freeway system to conserve water against evaporation. 2. Vertical farming technologies near suburban can save 90% farming water for farming industry. 3. Framers markets pre-packaging for shipments go online can save residents expensive trips for foods.

Definitely would not swim in mead at such low levels

You have a limited resource and usage is exceeding supply. Solution is simple, in the UK we turn the water off for 23 hours a day when its that bad.

I don't claim to know the answer but generally, more people = more problems. As for me, its very sad to see these lakes so low. and others like the Blue Mesa Resevoir in Gunnison, Co. go from a beautiful lake to a river.

The " mad max " age is coming

It's not a climate change crisis. It's normal. Takeaways In any given year between 1895 and 2010, on average, around 14 percent of the U.S. experienced severe to extreme (D2-D3) drought. The three longest drought episodes in the U.S. occurred in the 1930s, the 1950s, and the early 21st century. The Dust Bowl era of the 1930s remains the benchmark drought and extreme heat event in the U.S. historical record.

I have the simple solution that will increase Lake Mead's life...Build that same underground tunnel to the coast of California and build a desalination plant to pump that treated seawater into the lake. Problem solved and I'm no engineer or politician.

What happened to all of that “Cloud Seeding” technology they used to talk about back in the 90’s ? 🤔

One thing about Michigan, we will never ever run out of water

I would suggest rewinding time and NOT building a city geared towards vice in the middle of a valley of death.

If the lake permanently dries up? I’d be happy the desert reclaimed what always belonged to it and saddened that greed created this.

I’m sure Hershey has water rights to the lake and all the water ways in the surrounding areas. YAY CAPITALISM!

Not a word about what feeds the lake and what the prognosis or remedy is.

Mrs Richards: "I paid for a room with a view !" Basil: (pointing to the lovely view) "That is Torquay, Madam ." Mrs Richards: "It's not good enough!" Basil: "May I ask what you were expecting to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Sydney Opera House, perhaps? the Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically past?..." Mrs Richards: "Don't be silly! I expect to be able to see the sea!" Basil: "You can see the sea, it's over there between the land and the sky." Mrs Richards: "I'm not satisfied. But I shall stay. But I expect a reduction." Basil: "Why?! Because Krakatoa's not erupting at the moment ?"

Can we talk about the history of Lake Mead?? This ghost town of St. Thomas?? Stories will come out once it dries. Bodies too.

Don't ever forget that everything taken by force has its ramifications. The creator never forgot that this evil construction which cost the displacement of the indigenous people for profit only will cease to exist. The world will continue to go on, those that have to be displaced so be it, if prices of everything related to it go up so be it, if things get abandoned, ruined, and turns into a sore eye for the tourist economy, all you have to blame are those that everything they touch for profit gets destroyed.

I guess the casino's will collect their hotel feces and bury it in the desert

how hard is to remove salt from ocean water ?

Since I live in Missouri, I'm donating one 16 ounce bottle of distilled water to help out. You know what they say; Every little bit helps.

Tier 3 shortage, when 1038 feet will be reached by July 2023 (@4:17)? Hey, it is already ay 1040 feet. The level drops a foot a week. How did you do your math? It is 5 August 2022, as I write this. My calculations show that Tier three should cut in about 20 August 2022.

Imagine how tough things would have been without the dams. Conversely, the dams/reservoirs was the catalyst for overdevelopment. Two sides of the same coin.

It may seem like a wild idea and most improbable. I spoke with representatives of a US Senator some years ago and pointed out an historic event that took place in the 1970's. Not here, but in Australia. It was named the Snowy Mountain Scheme. Australia has one mountain range that gathers a large amount of snow in winter there. It's located at the south east corner of the continent. Prior to the scheme, half of the melting run off each spring, ran into the ocean. The government went all out to bore tunnels through the mountains, run catch basins with pipe lines and pumps and reclaimed a large portion of the run off that was previously lost. In the US, the Missouri and Mississippi river run water into the Gulf of Mexico, carrying millions of tons of top soil. The course of the river floods low lying farm lands of as many as a dozen states. If Australia could do something of this magnitude in the 1970s, I would think that we have a much better handle on such a feat today. Of course it would cost money and time. But think of the jobs it would create and the ultimate benefit. It would last generations and help so many people. The government could make the initial investment, but offer private enterprise a stake also.

Instead of oil pipelines can we get some water pipelines

did it occur to you that lake mead might be draining from under ? colorado has millions of underground caves and rivers you know

Here in Texas, we have alternatives. One is desalinate water from the Gulf of Mexico, as we have ten miles of coastline that isn't federal. With pipelines and aqueducts, we can convert West Texas into a profitable wetland, if we wanted. Texas is a true Republic. Mexico is the only trading partner we need.

Like the Fallout new vegas Mod DUST survival sim.

Let me Educate everyone here! LAKE MEAD WAS MAN MADE IN 1935!! I REPEAT MAN MADE The lake and surrounding area was named Boulder Dam Recreation Area. The dam was built from 1931-1936 and was officially dedicated Sept. 30, 1935. February 1935 the Lake began to fill to 708.70 feet, The surface of Lake Mead, the country's largest reservoir, now stands at 1,045 feet above sea level. It's forecast to drop more than 26 feet by July 2023. THATS BECAUSE ITS A MAN MADE DAM!!!! Just LIKE MAN MADE RIVERS AND LAKE LOCATIONS BUILT THEY ONLY RUN FOR SO LONG! Sometimes I feel Humanity is Slower in Education and common Since. The Earth is covered by About 71 percent of the Earth's surface is water-covered, and the oceans hold about 96.5 percent of all Earth's water. Meaning the World is covered by 3/4 of Water!!! In reality, the world won't run out of water. Water does not leave Earth, nor does it come from space. The amount of water the world has is the same amount of water we've always had. However, we could run out of usable water, or at least see a drop to very low reserves.

The wealthiest country in the world can't solve this problem? How about building desalination plants, pipelines from areas that get more rainfall? It's because the billionaires that run the country (and the world for that matter) don't want to pay for it. These people have more money than they could ever spend in several lifetimes but don't want to do anything to help others.

well I'm unsure how to shore it up short term, water cuts I suppose. But build more nuclear power plants out west and use them to also purify sea water and pipe it internally. We shouldn't be thinking on how to remove the pleasantries the populace of that area lives, but working on creating more. I'm not a resident, but outlawing pools seems lazy.

I suggest you start building some desalinization plants in California and start pumping fresh 💧 water back into the lake

The answer to that question is: It will be the only desert in the world with a bathtub ring.

Glaring errors. Lake mead and salton sea (salton sink before it was accidentally flooded) are no comparison AT ALL. Salton Sea never had an exit. The Colorodo has been flowing through the lake mead area for eons, even with massive droughts. Another glaring mistake is "mass exodus". Maybe from California...because THEY use most of the Colorodo. Nevada uses LESS than 4%, and the water intake is below dead pool, meaning Nevada will still get its water even when Californa runs dry. In order for Nevada to run dry it would mean pretty much all snow stops in Colorodo and Idaho. If California will FINALLY get off their behinds and build desalination plants, that would reduce the pressure. And since a lot of water goes to Imperial and Coachella Valley, they could even build a 100 mile pipeline from the Gulf of California to the Salton Sea (which is over 120 feet BELOW sea level) and put desalination plants there. That would "refresh" the Salton Sea as well. Safe Thorium can be used to power the desalination plants. A lot of dogma must be overcome, but its happening.

How much is being diverted ?? As well To Las Vegas Lake ???= $$$$$$$$$$$

Stop trying to grow grass IN THE DESERT!!! I'm not sure why anyone would choose to live in the desert in the first place😆

Misuse of land causes drought. Regenerative farming is improving the soil. Thank you to all the no till farmers and ranchers.

Love it here in Michigan water is everywhere.

Didn't they just have a flood?

It won’t. Just propaganda. Man has the ability to increase water supply for the last 75 years

Very simple: re-do the outdated Compacts that give a huge share to agriculture. People are more important.

Then it turns into the empty quarter, no people.

Dear Kevin. What about waterless Toilets 🚽🚽🚽🚽🚽🚽🚽🚽

Water will have to be brought in by train to service the southwest...