Warmer Water From Emptier Colorado River Reservoirs Has Multiple Negative Impacts On Power Generation, Water Treatment

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This year, water flowing into Lake Mead is projected to be at least 10.8 degrees F warmer than usual by the end of fall, said Todd Tietjen, the regional water quality manager for the Southern Nevada Water Authority. “We’ve seen this once or twice before,” Tietjen said. “But if it’s sustained, we don’t quite know what will happen.” During the annual Nevada Water Resources Association Conference Wednesday, a panel of water quality experts raised the alarm about the potential impacts of warmer water surface temperatures on the Colorado River and its reservoirs.

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Water treatment plants in Southern Nevada were designed and optimized to treat the deepest and coldest layer of water in Lake Mead. While warmer water can be treated, it’s often more expensive and difficult. “We really rely on the cold water being present for our treatment process. Our treatment process was designed around cooler, colder waters. Our buildings on site are cooled by this water,” Tietjen said. Water treatment plants in Southern Nevada also need cool water to operate vital ozone water treatment systems, which purify water by breaking down contaminants like bacteria, dissolved metals, and pesticides. “The ozone is used as a disinfectant. The generators that produce it are cooled by this water and lose efficiency rapidly if they don’t have cold water for cooling,” Tietjen said.

Warmer water temperatures also have the potential to impact operations at Hoover Dam. Hydropower turbines and generators at Hoover Dam are cooled using water sourced directly from Lake Mead. Those cooling water systems are crucial for preventing overheating and maintaining full operational capacity at the dam.

If water pulled in through the turbines reaches a temperature of at least 78.8 degrees F for three or more consecutive days, it has the potential to disrupt operations, according to the Bureau of Reclamation. “Most of the turbines are cooled by Lake Mead water, so they run into problems if they have hot water, and if we lose power at Glen Canyon and Hoover Dam, that’s a big problem for the West,” Tietjen said. “The system is so clearly designed for the lakes to be full,” Tietjen continued. “There was no thought that the lake would not be full most of the time.”

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https://nevadacurrent.com/2026/02/05/warmer-water-in-lake-mead-risks-vital-operations/

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1. "78.8 degrees F for three or more consecutive days, it has the potential to disrupt operations"

Astounding.