NYT > U.S. News Lake Mead, the Nation’s Largest Reservoir, Is Smaller Than Ever Par : Reis Thebault 9 août 2026 à 20:44 Water levels in the reservoir, which sits behind the Hoover Dam, are at record lows. A continued drop would imperil water supplies for millions of people and cut electricity from the dam. © Ty Oneil/Associated PressA boat in Lake Mead near the Hoover Dam on Friday. The bathtub ring of light minerals marks the water level at its peak.