Lake Mead Levels (1935-2025)

Line graph showing Lake Mead pool elevation from 1935 to 2025 in feet, with a peak near 1983 and declining trends, reaching 1,057 ft in October 2022. Maximum, power, and dead pool levels marked.

How much has Lake Mead fluctuated since the completion of the Hoover Dam in 1935?

Lake Mead last approached full capacity in 1983. Since 2000, shrinking snowpacks, rising temperatures, thirsty crops, and growing populations have strained the Colorado River and its reservoirs Lake Powell and Lake Mead. See the graph below.

Line graph showing Lake Mead pool elevation from 1935 to 2025 in feet, with a peak near 1983 and declining trends, reaching 1,057 ft in October 2022. Maximum, power, and dead pool levels marked.

Data source: Bureau of Reclamation

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All map products should be credited to Stephanie Smith, Grand Canyon Trust, unless otherwise noted. A hyperlink to the Grand Canyon Trust website is appreciated.

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Related Resources

Advocate Magazine cover with image of red packraft on clear blue water in a cave in the Grand Canyon
The fall 2025 edition of the Grand Canyon Trust’s Colorado Plateau Advocate magazine, including a deep dive into the Grand Canyon’s ancient groundwater.