Lake Mead, which has suffered amidst sweltering temperatures and low amounts of precipitation, has risen to almost 20 feet higher than it was last year at this time, partly due to the recent downpour from Hurricane Hilary.
The readings come from LakeLevels and shared that the lake is currently 1,064.14 feet above mean sea level, which is four feet lower than it was in 2021 and almost 20 feet lower than in 2020.
The reservoir, on the border of Arizona and Nevada, saw its water levels increase not only from the recent storm but also thanks to a wetter-than-normal winter. At the beginning of the year, the lake sat at around 1044 feet above mean sea level, but by May, it had risen six feet.
Prior to Hurricane Hilary hitting the southwestern part of the country, the lake measured at 1063.49 feet above mean sea level.
However, the rise in the lake’s water level was not all due to the rain landing in the reservoir, according to the National Weather Service.
The water partly rose due to rain falling all over, resulting in less demand for water downstream, meaning there were fewer water releases at the Hoover Dam.
The largest man-made reservoir hit record lows last year, and thanks to its main contributor to water levels, snow, it has made a rebound since.
For more about the hurricane-turned-tropical storm, check out the latest episode of The On Deadline Podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts.
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