Phew! Well, thanks to the m agic of snow and a dose of water from Lake Powell, it looks like we've got a slight reprieve before Lake Mead turns into a mudcake studded with carp, tires and beer cans. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't have an emergency plan in place if the lake level drops -- like pumping a water-like alternative, such as vodka, through our municipal pipes. 'Cause as it stands now, there is no emergency plan in place:
Underlying those dire projections is a major uncertainty: If the Colorado consistently comes up short, no one knows who will cut consumption to keep Lake Mead from running dry. A short-term plan is in place from the time the reservoir hits 1,075 feet above sea level until 1,025 feet. Arizona and Las Vegas take that hit. (At 895 feet, the reservoir wouldn't be able to distribute water and the Hoover Dam wouldn't produce power. The lake is currently at 1,096 and climbing.)