Scientists from the Colorado River Research Group say water levels at Lake Mead and Lake Powell are dropping to dangerous levels, reflecting what they described as the Colorado River's worsening "structural deficit."
The Arizona Republic reported last week that in a report, the scientists say Lake Powell has declined because of extra water releases flowing into Lake Mead.
Currently, Lake Powell is about 48 percent full, and Lake Mead about 38 percent.
By the end of the year, Powell's levels are projected to fall 94 feet below where the reservoir stood in 2000 when it was nearly full.
The current river management system allocates equal portions of the water between the four Upper Basin states and the Lower Basin states. The scientists suggested it could be time to reform the management system.