Explainer: How far would Lake Mead's water drop before the current intake system stops providing water to Las Vegas?

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — As Lake Mead’s water level continues to drop, the Las Vegas Valley Water District is making an effort to educate people in the valley about how water gets from the lake to homes and businesses.

A recent Tweet from the LVVWD showed an animated video describing the three straw water intake system works at the lake.

As 8 News Now first reported in April, the pipe connecting the first or shallowest intake tunnel has begun emerging from the surface. According to the LVVWD, the first straw, or intake one, will no longer work when the lake level falls below 1,050 feet (Lake Mead’s water level is measured at an altitude above sea level).

The top of Intake No. 1 is visible above the surface of Lake Mead in this photo form Monday, April 25. (Courtesy, Southern Nevada Water Authority)
This photo taken Monday, April 25, 2022, by the Southern Nevada Water Authority shows the top of Lake Mead drinking water Intake No. 1 above the surface level of the Colorado River reservoir behind Hoover Dam. The intake is the uppermost of three in the deep, drought-stricken lake that provides Las Vegas with 90% of its drinking water supply. (Southern Nevada Water Authority via AP)

As of Tuesday, May 10, the level at Lake Mead is 1,052.55 feet, or two and a half feet above the first intake tunnel cutoff point.

At this point, it is a certainty that the lake will fall below the intake of the first tunnel. Just one week ago, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced it would be holding back about 480,000 acre-feet of water in Lake Powell to maintain Glen Canyon Dam’s ability to produce hydropower for millions of homes and businesses in the region.

Officials estimate the move will mean an extra 7-foot to 8-foot drop for Lake Mead due to current water loss. Thankfully, even this dramatic drop will not affect the water supply for Las Vegas.

LAKE MEAD NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, NEVADA – MAY 10: A person walks near a faltering boat launch ramp which is set to be relocated due to lowering water levels on Lake Mead on May 10, 2022 in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation reported that Lake Mead, North America’s largest artificial reservoir, has dropped to about 1,052 feet above sea level, the lowest it’s been since being filled in 1937 after the construction of the Hoover Dam. Two sets of human remains have been discovered recently as the lake continues to recede. The declining water levels are a result of a climate change-fueled megadrought coupled with increased water demands in the Southwestern United States. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
People recreate on the shore during low water levels due to the western drought at the Lake Mead Marina on the Colorado River in Boulder City, Nevada on May 5, 2022. – A worsening drought has revealed a four-decade-old body dumped in Lake Mead, police said May 2, 2022, warning that falling water levels would lead to the uncovering of more corpses. Boaters on Lake Mead near Las Vegas discovered a corroded barrel with its sinister contents during a weekend pleasure trip. (Photo by Patrick T. FALLON / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

The second intake tunnel was completed in 2000. If the lake drops another 57.6 feet from today’s level, the tunnel will suck in water from the lake until the level drops below 1,000 feet. If the lake level continues to fall, the third and deepest intake tunnel comes into play.

Lake Mead would have to drop below 895 feet before the third tunnel would not be able to intake water. That’s an additional 157 feet drop from the lake’s current level.

LAKE MEAD AT HOOVER DAM, END OF MONTH ELEVATION (FEET)

Year	JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	JUL	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC
1935	—	708.70	701.70	752.40	806.60	909.10	928.40	925.90	920.80	914.90	908.30	908.40
1936	907.90	908.40	906.90	922.20	982.40	1015.50	1020.40	1024.40	1024.60	1022.60	1023.60	1023.50
1937	1022.20	1026.20	1031.00	1044.60	1078.70	1096.60	1102.80	1099.60	1097.60	1096.70	1096.00	1095.75
1938	1095.00	1094.85	1100.20	1109.20	1134.40	1165.60	1173.50	1171.95	1173.80	1171.45	1168.70	1168.65
1939	1165.40	1157.40	1158.20	1162.90	1176.20	1183.45	1181.30	1177.35	1178.95	1176.10	1173.05	1169.95
1940	1166.90	1166.00	1164.65	1164.85	1175.35	1182.15	1179.80	1176.10	1174.45	1173.75	1170.80	1168.05
1941	1167.10	1167.55	1170.35	1175.85	1201.25	1215.55	1220.40	1216.50	1209.85	1211.25	1205.60	1195.80
1942	1184.80	1176.75	1171.25	1182.90	1195.50	1213.15	1213.20	1210.40	1205.00	1199.25	1194.05	1188.40
1943	1182.45	1179.60	1177.00	1180.60	1188.75	1199.40	1201.55	1199.65	1195.70	1189.90	1184.50	1178.35
1944	1170.90	1164.20	1158.40	1158.10	1173.20	1194.85	1199.55	1193.90	1187.10	1180.60	1174.55	1168.00
1945	1161.25	1155.75	1149.60	1147.40	1161.30	1174.55	1180.70	1177.95	1177.95	1173.60	1168.95	1163.35
1946	1157.55	1151.65	1147.45	1148.20	1155.15	1163.95	1163.30	1161.25	1157.65	1153.90	1151.65	1148.55
1947	1142.60	1133.10	1135.38	1134.49	1151.93	1169.64	1177.18	1180.13	1178.02	1177.88	1175.24	1170.58
1948	1164.52	1158.80	1154.51	1158.77	1175.95	1192.15	1190.32	1186.95	1180.82	1175.89	1170.91	1164.85
1949	1158.04	1150.99	1147.17	1148.28	1164.51	1189.07	1196.61	1193.17	1186.86	1181.19	1176.93	1170.06
1950	1163.40	1156.70	1151.75	1152.13	1158.57	1173.95	1177.15	1173.36	1168.77	1164.43	1160.19	1156.62
1951	1151.47	1168.02	1144.07	1141.34	1146.16	1163.53	1168.19	1167.00	1163.75	1160.42	1157.25	1153.12
1952	1149.06	1143.00	1133.99	1141.96	1171.53	1198.06	1199.88	1195.74	1190.00	1183.13	1176.39	1169.10
1953	1162.56	1157.12	1152.42	1148.40	1147.33	1165.11	1165.87	1163.38	1157.67	1152.99	1150.06	1145.78
1954	1141.44	1138.22	1134.08	1130.26	1130.76	1129.88	1126.25	1120.82	1115.39	1112.90	1109.74	1105.40
1955	1100.77	1096.14	1092.85	1089.72	1095.90	1105.91	1103.65	1102.78	1098.50	1095.11	1092.63	1090.99
1956	1089.20	1087.06	1083.57	1083.81	1098.00	1116.62	1114.58	1110.66	1105.76	1102.05	1099.14	1097.02
1957	1095.05	1094.32	1092.24	1091.00	1109.31	1150.81	1176.08	1182.34	1182.52	1182.50	1181.61	1177.39
1958	1170.95	1168.56	1163.64	1164.61	1185.52	1205.43	1203.39	1198.97	1195.57	1192.45	1189.59	1185.85
1959	1182.31	1182.03	1176.60	1172.83	1172.59	1179.84	1179.27	1175.65	1171.13	1169.35	1168.85	1167.28
1960	1165.09	1163.78	1164.26	1169.94	1175.09	1183.71	1181.32	1175.25	1170.36	1168.47	1167.46	1165.12
1961	1162.67	1160.75	1156.19	1153.56	1154.45	1161.19	1157.62	1154.05	1153.74	1155.15	1155.22	1154.64
1962	1153.56	1156.51	1154.69	1165.75	1185.56	1198.17	1203.98	1200.87	1197.64	1196.65	1195.05	1193.12
1963	1190.98	1189.67	1185.07	1179.06	1172.43	1167.16	1160.27	1153.88	1149.04	1144.99	1141.50	1136.93
1964	1131.74	1128.40	1123.85	1123.41	1119.32	1112.47	1103.84	1098.58	1093.49	1090.12	1089.02	1088.14
1965	1089.83	1090.63	1088.31	1094.57	1110.08	1125.69	1124.33	1124.32	1124.79	1125.90	1127.93	1129.74
1966	1132.24	1133.05	1132.24	1132.15	1133.07	1132.70	1130.32	1128.21	1127.59	1128.42	1129.72	1132.05
1967	1133.42	1133.31	1131.65	1131.72	1131.49	1130.40	1128.81	1128.44	1130.20	1128.67	1127.71	1129.84
1968	1132.07	1132.54	1132.79	1134.15	1135.18	1136.23	1136.76	1136.89	1136.44	1137.46	1139.05	1139.65
1969	1140.46	1140.67	1139.34	1140.79	1141.26	1141.79	1143.32	1145.31	1146.86	1147.22	1149.71	1152.50
1970	1153.65	1153.32	1151.06	1150.80	1150.87	1150.73	1150.53	1151.33	1152.58	1151.77	1151.75	1152.95
1971	1152.87	1150.40	1148.29	1148.63	1149.06	1149.85	1151.22	1152.85	1153.61	1154.40	1156.84	1160.13
1972	1162.27	1160.94	1156.12	1154.74	1154.35	1154.60	1154.84	1156.28	1158.49	1161.59	1163.82	1168.35
1973	1172.75	1174.73	1178.78	1186.14	1185.93	1186.34	1184.89	1182.28	1180.26	1179.47	1178.70	1176.92
1974	1180.14	1178.08	1174.95	1171.35	1169.68	1169.60	1171.87	1173.30	1173.99	1173.83	1175.67	1176.80
1975	1178.74	1178.38	1177.13	1174.18	1173.66	1174.48	1176.97	1178.16	1180.10	1180.41	1179.64	1179.63
1976	1180.93	1182.90	1181.25	1179.68	1180.39	1180.47	1179.85	1177.84	1179.40	1182.16	1185.94	1187.87
1977	1193.01	1191.98	1189.01	1183.10	1179.83	1176.16	1175.34	1177.27	1180.48	1180.36	1179.29	1180.82
1978	1186.09	1187.62	1188.44	1186.14	1184.58	1184.76	1183.31	1183.74	1185.43	1186.69	1188.73	1193.31
1979	1198.83	1202.61	1201.04	1200.01	1197.55	1195.50	1194.86	1195.71	1195.30	1195.12	1196.64	1197.97
1980	1198.99	1204.13	1202.87	1201.94	1199.93	1202.27	1204.65	1204.58	1204.92	1203.21	1203.68	1202.88
1981	1203.58	1204.31	1202.15	1198.44	1196.22	1193.70	1192.88	1192.78	1192.67	1194.11	1195.42	1198.28
1982	1201.15	1202.39	1201.02	1198.30	1196.93	1196.42	1196.48	1197.39	1198.96	1201.06	1204.76	1208.37
1983	1206.83	1210.25	1211.59	1211.26	1212.33	1220.27	1225.44	1222.17	1218.21	1215.32	1213.38	1212.33
1984	1209.82	1207.67	1206.05	1205.91	1209.74	1212.17	1212.92	1211.40	1210.06	1208.63	1208.29	1207.90
1985	1206.95	1206.68	1206.43	1206.16	1209.83	1214.25	1213.95	1212.79	1213.14	1211.16	1208.76	1205.49
1986	1201.59	1202.72	1202.45	1204.78	1208.16	1210.13	1207.14	1207.52	1208.83	1208.70	1209.77	1210.39
1987	1210.23	1210.58	1208.57	1207.67	1205.99	1206.60	1207.80	1209.56	1209.79	1208.69	1210.05	1211.03
1988	1211.17	1211.70	1210.74	1208.36	1206.23	1203.18	1201.43	1199.57	1199.16	1199.15	1199.46	1199.75
1989	1201.40	1202.49	1200.28	1197.35	1192.59	1190.40	1189.72	1189.40	1190.22	1189.55	1189.02	1189.80
1990	1191.00	1191.75	1189.56	1186.89	1183.93	1182.06	1179.49	1178.82	1180.02	1178.90	1178.54	1177.89
1991	1179.39	1180.06	1179.31	1177.80	1175.92	1174.67	1173.29	1172.92	1173.01	1171.73	1171.82	1173.44
1992	1177.25	1179.42	1180.31	1179.78	1177.31	1175.07	1173.92	1173.59	1174.44	1174.68	1175.45	1176.86
1993	1183.64	1189.88	1193.46	1193.04	1190.27	1188.27	1187.20	1188.41	1189.15	1188.05	1188.45	1188.75
1994	1190.09	1190.97	1188.51	1184.94	1181.64	1179.42	1178.97	1178.24	1178.40	1177.80	1175.67	1176.55
1995	1180.37	1182.58	1182.27	1179.68	1178.33	1179.03	1180.75	1181.70	1184.28	1186.12	1189.65	1190.92
1996	1193.45	1193.81	1193.81	1192.75	1191.26	1190.43	1190.26	1190.02	1190.84	1191.56	1192.71	1194.38
1997	1195.63	1196.51	1199.10	1200.01	1199.96	1202.32	1203.49	1204.52	1205.81	1209.64	1212.80	1214.64
1998	1214.40	1214.05	1214.26	1212.74	1211.59	1211.83	1212.43	1214.30	1214.78	1215.76	1214.79	1212.53
1999	1212.89	1213.30	1211.75	1208.80	1207.37	1206.40	1207.28	1208.74	1211.29	1212.11	1212.58	1213.94
2000	1214.26	1213.79	1211.33	1208.78	1207.67	1204.09	1199.97	1196.66	1196.72	1196.66	1196.45	1196.12
2001	1197.27	1196.62	1194.68	1190.76	1187.32	1183.12	1180.78	1179.97	1177.96	1178.03	1177.22	1177.37
2002	1177.94	1176.50	1172.06	1167.49	1162.39	1160.19	1157.57	1156.42	1155.42	1154.89	1153.30	1152.13
2003	1153.33	1154.42	1153.09	1148.27	1144.68	1143.19	1141.93	1143.27	1142.12	1141.17	1139.48	1139.12
2004	1140.39	1140.11	1138.70	1134.98	1129.70	1126.93	1125.73	1126.67	1125.86	1127.43	1130.13	1130.01
2005	1137.40	1143.25	1147.66	1144.45	1141.89	1140.46	1139.01	1139.61	1138.36	1137.01	1135.27	1137.52
2006	1139.46	1141.20	1139.48	1135.94	1131.14	1128.26	1126.42	1126.54	1125.36	1126.13	1126.63	1128.12
2007	1129.55	1129.35	1125.79	1120.69	1115.89	1113.50	1111.58	1111.84	1111.06	1110.95	1111.22	1114.81
2008	1116.46	1116.93	1115.65	1110.61	1107.05	1104.98	1104.42	1105.13	1105.76	1107.94	1107.33	1110.97
2009	1111.78	1111.43	1107.40	1101.26	1096.92	1095.26	1094.20	1093.73	1093.68	1093.26	1093.52	1096.30
2010	1100.02	1103.21	1100.66	1098.00	1094.30	1089.30	1086.97	1086.91	1083.81	1082.36	1081.94	1086.30
2011	1091.73	1095.78	1096.39	1095.76	1097.90	1102.38	1107.07	1113.45	1116.04	1121.00	1125.82	1132.83
2012	1134.18	1133.06	1129.41	1123.93	1119.38	1115.84	1115.92	1116.56	1115.16	1116.50	1117.24	1120.36

2013	1122.32	1122.14	1118.59	1112.91	1108.36	1105.98	1105.92	1106.13	1106.92	1104.04	1106.36	1106.73
2014	1108.75	1107.94	1101.71	1094.55	1087.46	1082.66	1080.60	1081.55	1081.33	1082.79	1083.57	1087.79
2015	1088.51	1088.98	1084.87	1079.03	1076.57	1075.08	1078.15	1078.31	1078.10	1078.99	1078.23	1080.91
2016	1083.68	1084.17	1080.45	1076.13	1073.80	1071.64	1072.75	1075.17	1075.23	1076.34	1076.55	1080.82
2017	1086.08	1089.78	1088.26	1084.89	1081.56	1079.52	1079.03	1081.44	1082.05	1082.30	1080.95	1082.52
2018	1087.50	1088.21	1088.11	1084.49	1080.00	1076.81	1077.43	1078.88	1078.29	1078.52	1078.32	1081.46
2019	1085.75	1087.97	1090.24	1088.95	1086.48	1084.71	1082.82	1083.45	1083.00	1082.61	1083.85	1090.49
2020	1094.68	1096.27	1098.59	1096.39	1091.32	1087.07	1084.63	1084.04	1083.21	1081.88	1081.07	1083.72
2021	1085.95	1087.26	1084.39	1079.30	1073.50	1068.77	1067.65	1067.96	1067.68	1066.77	1064.97	1066.39
2022	1067.09	1066.78	1061.49	1054.69