In a recent article from SFGate.com, it was reported that in the recent heat wave that caused temperatures in parts of the Western U.S. to skyrocket into triple digits, snow melt was accelerated. With the high temperatures turning snow into water, 12 billion gallons of H2O poured into Lake Tahoe in the last week. That’s over 18,000 Olympic sized swimming pools!
Lakes and reservoirs are one of the main ways we store water – and they are crucial in dry areas like the Southwestern United States. After the outlet from a natural lake has been damned, the water level can then be regulated in order to match the amount of rainfall, snow melt, and needs of the surrounding community. Continue reading