Infrastructure funds to help restore water levels at Lake Mead fish hatchery

By Ron Dungan
Published: Thursday, September 1, 2022 - 7:15am

Falling levels at Lake Mead have sent managers scrambling to maintain the region’s water supply. But the drought can have consequences for wildlife as well.

The lake stores water and provides power for urban and rural consumers throughout the Southwest.

But it also provides water for a Nevada fish hatchery, which raises endangered species such as the bonytail chub and razorback sucker.

Water levels dropped so low this year that the facility’s intake system can’t function.

The Bureau of Reclamation has announced that funding in the bipartisan infrastructure law includes more than $8 million to replace the water supply line.

Razorback sucker fish
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Razorback suckers are native to the Colorado River.

Science Environment Water