Officials upbeat about region’s water conditions

Stephen Curran

Friday, March 18, 2005 | 10:22 a.m.

Recent data from Nevada's key water repository is good news for the drought-stricken region, as heavy rain and above-average snowpack continue to help the region, Southern Nevada Water Authority officials said Thursday.

By March 10, the water flowing from the Colorado River into Lake Powell -- which supplies water to Nevada, Arizona and California -- was 18 percent above average, Kay Brothers, deputy general manager of the water authority, said.

According to those measurements, Lakes Powell and Mead, other repositories for the state, are at 34 percent and 62 percent of their ideal elevations, respectively. Ordinarily, Lake Powell is at 3,558 feet and Lake Mead at 1,145 feet. Lake Powell's elevation, while three feet lower than January, remains steady at 34 percent of normal, as three feet is a fraction of the lake's elevation and has little effect. Lake Mead is seven feet higher than in January, also a minimal change.

Officials including Brothers have previously said the lakes are expected to continue falling, even as the heavy rains this winter have helped improve overall conditions. Southern Nevada has seen 2.45 inches of rain so far this year, compared with 1.46 inches total in 2004, according to the water authority.

According to a presentation at Thursday's water authority board of directors meeting, much of Nevada and Arizona is expected to remain in the drought's grip through May, although some areas may show a slight improvement.

The prolonged drought has underscored the ongoing need to conserve water, Brothers said.

"We're continuing to see the community rise to the occasion and save water," she said. "... The community is continuing to do great things in the drought conditions."

Officials in February estimated that if Lake Mead continues following it will make existing water intakes useless, necessitating a new, $650 million system that would gather water at lower elevations.

At its current rate, the water level is expected to fall enough by 2011 to make the existing intakes useless. Work on the intakes is expected to begin this year.