Lake Powell, one of America's largest reservoirs, has dropped to its lowest level on record. The cause was an exceptionally dry and warm winter that left the Colorado River Basin with very little mountain snow to melt and feed the river system.
Lake Mead, the other major reservoir on the Colorado River, also reached record lows. Together, the two reservoirs anchor a water system that supplies drinking water and hydroelectric power to more than 40 million people across the region.
The record lows raise concerns about the reliability of water deliveries and power generation in the face of ongoing drought and warming conditions. With both reservoirs at historic lows, the strain on the river system is becoming increasingly severe.