WESTERN WATER WOES
The waters of Lake Mead are approaching alarming lows as the effects of the megadrought continue to plague the West .
HOW IT GOT SO DRY
The reasons for historically low western water levels are a perfect storm of factors ( no pun intended ): 1 ) Lack of precipitation has plagued the region since 2000 ( the driest stretch in 1,200 years , according to a study by Nature Climate Change ); 2 ) Increased water usage in cities like Las Vegas ( Lake Mead ) and agricultural areas like the Southern San Joaquin Valley ( Lake Shasta ) has siphoned some reservoirs like never before ; and 3 ) Warmer annual temperatures have dramatically reduced snowpack in mountain ranges that supply watersheds and have hastened evaporation .
This trio of factors has put the western states in uncomfortable new territory as lakes across the region are experiencing record-low water levels , with the drought forecasted to continue until 2030 .
For western bass anglers , the above translates to dramatically changing ecosystems on their favorite bodies of water and an alarming lack of access . As water levels continue to drop and boat launches are left high and dry , getting a bass boat safely onto well known , popular lakes becomes difficult ( bordering on impossible in some cases ).
The drought has already taken its toll on fishing participation , with major tournaments being canceled or relocated and entire lakes are in danger of being unusable for boaters .
LAKE MEAD AMONG THE HARDEST HIT
National media covering the drought are primarily focused on Nevada ’ s Lake Mead , the historical impoundment of the Colorado River located 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas . The recent discovery of human remains on the dried-up lake bottom in May created a flurry of media attention – in addition to the grim discoveries , other relics ( multiple sunken boats and jet skis , etc .) have appeared as Mead ’ s water levels continue to plunge below historical lows .
As of this writing , Mead is over 180 feet below the high-water mark set in 1983 , and the early July water level ( 1,043.8 feet in elevation ) was the lowest recorded at the country ’ s largest reservoir since it began filling up with the completion of the Hoover Dam in the 1930s . The dam produces hydroelectric power for millions in Nevada , Arizona and California , and although potentially years away , continued water loss could endanger the power supply for the region as Mead creeps toward “ inactive pool ” status ( a minimum of 950 feet is required to generate power through Hoover Dam ).
These historically low waters forced the prestigious WON Bass U . S . Open to be moved one lake down on the Colorado River to Lake Mohave . The 2022 U . S . Open marks the 40th edition of the biggest bass tournament on the West Coast and the first time it will be held somewhere other than Lake Mead .
Bass Pro Tour angler John Murray won the event twice during high-water years in 1997 and 1999 . He ’ s fished Mead through many stages over a three-decade career and has witnessed the lake at capacity twice .
“ I lived through two full water cycles , both in 1983 and then the late ‘ 90s ,” Murray says . “ The last time it filled up was in 2000 after back-toback 100-year storms – it ’ ll never be that full again unless there ’ s a miracle . With the population of Las Vegas , Phoenix , and Los Angeles taking the water , there ’ s just too much draw on the water and it ’ s worth more to sell than to keep the lake full . Looking at the lake now makes me sick ; you can
50 MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2022